HYDERABAD: Senior counsel Siddharth Luthra, appearing on behalf of the state government before the Telangana High Court, strongly opposed the anticipatory bail petition filed by T Prabhakar Rao, former chief of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), and the prime accused in the phone-tapping case.
Arguing against the bail plea, Luthra contended that Prabhakar Rao had misused the government machinery during his tenure as SIB head by orchestrating an elaborate phone-tapping operation targeting bureaucrats, politicians, and businessmen. He alleged that Rao made a “mockery of the system” by using a specially picked team of trusted officers to carry out these illegal activities.
Highlighting the critical nature of Rao’s custodial interrogation, Luthra emphasised that vital evidence, including hard drives, mobile phones, and CCTV cameras, were destroyed under Rao’s directions. “His custody is essential for the investigating agency to unravel the deeper dimensions of the case,” Luthra asserted.
Challenging Rao’s claims of ill health, Luthra argued that the medical records submitted were outdated, some dating back to 2004, 2005, and 2008, and indicated that Rao was medically fit at the time. “It is only after the phone tapping case surfaced that he suddenly claimed to be suffering from throat cancer. These are fabricated statements meant to delay legal proceedings,” he told the court.
While the state government is actively working on getting Rao extradited from the US, Luthra pointed out that the petitioner had shown no initiative to return to India or to contest the revocation of his passport, which was cancelled on July 12, 2025. “He is evading the law and sitting comfortably in the US, awaiting a court order to secure protection,” he said.
The senior counsel further dismissed the relevance of interim protection from arrest granted to Accused No 6, Sravan Kumar, arguing that the same should not be extended to Prabhakar Rao. “The Supreme Court’s relief to A6 is merely interim and can be vacated at any time,” Luthra said, adding that Sravan Kumar, in his statement, confessed to supplying political intelligence under Prabhakar Rao’s instructions.
The court was hearing the criminal petition filed by Prabhakar Rao seeking anticipatory bail. After hearing arguments, the matter was adjourned to Wednesday for further proceedings.