HYDERABAD: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the phone-tapping case grilled the prime accused and former Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao for around seven hours on Wednesday.
This is the second time that the SIT has questioned Prabhakar since his return from the US. During Wednesday’s questioning, Prabhakar is believed to have confessed that he had formed a Special Operations Team (SOT) for “political targets”.
Those who worked in the SOT, on the orders of Prabhakar, reportedly intercepted the phone calls of several politicians, their relatives and close aides. The then DSP Praneeth Rao, who is Accused No 2 in the case, allegedly recruited several officers in the SOT to carry out Prabhakar’s orders.
On Wednesday, the SIT reportedly questioned Prabhakar on people behind the formation of the SOT at the Special Intelligence Branch. While the SIB was established to do certain tasks related to curbing Left Wing Extremism, the SOT was set up in 2018 to carry out specific works for the then ruling party.
Sources revealed that Prabhakar Rao was also questioned on devices that were used for tapping phones and also devices destroyed at the SIB office in December 2023. “As of now, various issues have been identified in this case. As the investigation is going on, we will find out some more details related to the case,” a source said.
Sources also revealed that Prabhakar Rao was asked to appear before the police again on June 14.