HYDERABAD: Did a senior BRS leader order the tapping of phones of close associates of TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy when he was in the Opposition?
The police appear to have found that the senior BRS leader was deeply involved in the illegal tapping of the phones of Revanth’s associates when the pink party was in power in the state.
The police made the breakthrough during the investigation of the “destruction” of the hard disk and other material in the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) by suspended DSP D Praneeth Kumar, alias Praneeth Rao.
The hard disk is understood to have contained data related to phone tapping.
The police sources said that the BRS leader had asked Praneeth Rao to tap the phone numbers that he gave him to track how Congress moved money and how it was doing election management.
“Praneeth Rao shared the numbers with a private news channel owner who is also a very close associate of the BRS leadership to tap the phones with interception equipment and maintain a server at his office/private place,” a police source said.
Praneeth Rao is also suspected to have maintained another two servers, one in Sircilla and the other in Warangal. The police suspect that three inspectors from Warangal had helped him in tapping and destruction of evidence in the SIB officer.
Police sources said that the three inspectors have already been identified and detained for preliminary questioning at a secret place. The three inspectors allegedly helped Praneeth Rao in tapping phones and destroying the hard disks.
Cops hope to glean key info from Praneeth during custody
The investigation officers also now know how the officers listened in to the calls with or without permission by the service provider.
The usual practice is that the SIB has to submit a letter to the Union Home Ministry for permission to tap the phones of those who might pose a threat to law and order, or indulge in extremist or terror activity. After the receipt of the letter, a high-level officer of the Internal Security in the Home Ministry gives permission. A letter would be sent to the nodal officer of the service provider with a copy to the intelligence unit officer.
Sources stated that in this instance, there was no intimation to the SIB to listen in to the calls and read messages without confirmation of the nodal officer of the service provider.
An important development in the case is how Praneeth Rao maintained a server at a place belonging to a private news channel owner and how the person who is facing a tapping allegation brought Israeli interception phone tapping equipment and set it up at his office, in violation of Indian Telegraph Act.
According to sources, the police are probing the inputs they had received that both Praneeth Rao and the news channel owner are related. The news channel owner has been absconding ever since the crime came to light.
The police are also looking into the role of other officers who served in the SIB and Intelligence department and who supported Praneeth Rao in tapping the phones of Revanth’s associates. It may be mentioned here that several times, Revanth had said his phones were being tapped and suspected involvement of a few officers in the SIB.
A senior police officer said that tapping a phone cannot be done without the knowledge of senior officials. At lower levels, the officers cannot eavesdrop on phone calls without clearance from their senior officials.
The sources said that the police had the custody of Praneeth Rao for another four days and they expected that he would reveal the names of the officers and also the BRS leader who ordered the tapping of phones belonging to Revanth’s associates.
Being denied access to relatives, counsel: Praneeth Rao to HC
Dugyala Praneeth Kumar, known as Praneeth Rao and currently suspended as DSP in the Special Intelligence Branch, on Tuesday filed a criminal revision petition in the High Court, seeking suspension of the execution of an order issued by the XIV Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Crime No 243 dated March 16.
Praneeth Rao faces allegations of unlawfully tapping the phones of Opposition leaders during the BRS regime in the state. In his petition, Praneeth Rao contended that the police team handling his interrogation has been selectively leaking information to the press, damaging his reputation. He also claimed to be denied access to his relatives and legal counsel during the interrogation process.
Praneeth Rao also asserted that the police conduct prolonged interrogations from 8 am to 8 pm without adhering to a fixed schedule, which he argues violates the orders laid out by the Supreme Court in cases such as DK Basu Vs., State of West Bengal and Paramjit Singh Saini Versus Baljit Singh and others. Justice G Radha Rani will hear the petition on Wednesday.