NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed that the passport of T Prabhakar Rao, former chief of Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and a key accused in the phone-tapping case, be made available to him so that he could return to India. It also ordered that he do so within three days of receiving the travel document.
A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma directed Prabhakar Rao, who is believed to be in the US, to appear before the investigating officer. The top court granted him interim protection from coercive action and posted the matter for further hearing on August 5.
“Pending consideration of this special leave petition, we direct the petitioner to appear before the investigating officer concerned. For that purpose, the passport/travel documents for travel only to India shall be made available to the petitioner by the chief passport officer/competent authority so that he could appear before the concerned investigating authority within a period of three days on receipt of the passport/travel document(s) to India,” the bench said.
“Till the next date of hearing, no coercive steps shall be taken as against the petitioner,” it added.
The court also directed the investigating officer to submit a status report before the next date of hearing on August 5.
“The petitioner shall also file an affidavit of undertaking within a week before this court that within three days from the date of receipt of the passport/travel document(s) only to India, he would return to India and appear before the concerned investigating authority/officer,” the bench said.
“It is needless to observe that the concerned investigating authority/officer shall investigate the offences alleged against the petitioner herein in accordance with law. The petitioner shall, however, cooperate with the investigation,” it added.
A Red Corner Notice has already been issued against Prabhakar Rao and his passport too was revoked, according to police.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Sidharth Luthra vehemently opposed Prabhakar Rao’s plea for anticipatory bail. The accused has moved the top court challenging an order of the Telangana High Court, which dismissed his anticipatory bail plea.
On May 22, a Hyderabad court issued a proclamation order against him in the phone-tapping case.
According to the order, Rao may be declared a “proclaimed offender” if he does not appear before the court by June 20. If a person is declared a proclaimed offender, the court can order the attachment of his properties.
(With PTI inputs)