HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to A Shravan Kumar, MD of a Telugu media outlet and Accused 6 in the phone-tapping case, allowing his return from the US for investigation in the case.
The bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma heard the Special Leave Petition against the Telangana High Court’s order denying anticipatory bail to Shravan in March. Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu sought interim relief for Shravan, but Telangana’s counsel opposed it and noted that a red-corner notice has been issued against him. The state counsel also pointed out that Shravan has been absconding for a year.
Justice Nagarathna remarked that interim protection would aid the investigation, ensuring his return. “We tell you one thing, if we don’t give him protection now, he will never come to India. Let him come,” she said.
The court granted interim relief until the next hearing, directing Shravan to cooperate.
Naidu assured compliance, stating that Shravan would return within 48 hours. “It is needless to state … that in the event the time and date is fixed for the petitioner to appear before the concerning investigating officer, he shall do so and comply with the said order subject to the time being granted to come to India,” the order said.
Shravan and his co-accused face allegations of illegally tapping phones, recording conversations, and tracking political figures using advanced tech. Earlier, the same bench granted bail to co-accused Mekala Thirupathanna, a suspended police officer, in the phone-tapping case.