HYDERABAD: In a major development, former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief Prabhakar Rao has been named accused number one in the phone-tapping case in place of Praneeth Rao, a former DSP in the bureau. A private news channel owner, Sravan Rao, has been named accused number six in the case. With this, the number of accused in the sensational phone-tapping case rose to six.
After a thorough investigation, the Hyderabad police reportedly found evidence of Prabhakar Rao’s key role in the alleged scam, leading to him being listed as accused number one.
According to sources, the police are trying to get a red corner notice issued against the former SIB chief and arrest him as soon as possible. It may be recalled that Sravan Rao’s house in Jubilee Hills was raided by the police in the case and found that he procured a phone-tapping device from Israel and assisted Praneeth Rao in eavesdropping on political rivals of the BRS and businessmen.
Praneeth Rao, Thirupathanna, Bhujanga Rao and Radha Kishan Rao, accused of phone-tapping during the BRS regime, have been in judicial custody.
Interrogations of the accused reportedly revealed that Prabhakar Rao was the key figure responsible for orchestrating the illegal surveillance. He allegedly had links to a high-ranking BRS official, who purportedly ordered the phone tapping activities.
Sravan got phone-tapping device from Israel
It may be recalled that Sravan Rao, a private news channel owner’s house in Jubilee Hills was raided by the police in the case and found that he procured a phone-tapping device from Israel and assisted Praneeth Rao, former DSP, in eavesdropping on political rivals of the BRS and businessmen.