Former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Task Force) in Hyderabad City, P Radhakishan Rao, has reportedly confessed to his involvement in the phone tapping activities carried out by certain officers within the Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) during the previous BRS government's tenure.
According to police sources, this revelation comes amidst an ongoing investigation by the Hyderabad Police into allegations of unauthorized phone tapping targeting politicians, officials, activists, and other people during the said regime. Rao's confession statement has been included alongside other pertinent documents submitted to the Nampally Criminal Court by the investigating authorities.
According to a report of Indian Express, Sources said that as per the confession statement, Radhakishan Rao admitted to his involvement in conducting surveillance on politicians and others under the directions of the then SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao.
Sources have revealed that Rao informed investigators about the extensive electronic surveillance carried out on individuals who spoke out against the BRS government led by K Chandrashekar Rao or were perceived as threats to the party. It is alleged that information regarding political figures, both from the ruling BRS party and the opposition, deemed necessary for surveillance, was passed on to former SIB Deputy Superintendent of Police, D Praneeth Rao. He purportedly orchestrated operations to profile these individuals and oversee the tapping of their phones, ensuring constant monitoring.
The surveillance and phone tapping activities became a focal point of a heated political dispute last year, with BJP leaders like Bandi Sanjay Kumar intensifying their criticism against then Chief Minister KCR. Sources have indicated that among those subjected to surveillance were former IPS officer R S Praveen Kumar, who had opted for voluntary retirement and joined the BSP before later affiliating with the BRS. Additionally, individuals such as former BRS leader and MLA Kadiam Srihari, who recently switched allegiance to the Congress party, former BRS minister T Rajaiah, and former Tandur MLA Patnam Mahender Reddy, who had emerged as a vocal critic of the BRS and recently aligned with the Congress, were also reportedly under scrutiny.
Sources said that the movements of several industrialists, builders, businessmen, journalists and bureaucrats were also kept under watch, mainly to track who they were talking to or meeting, Indian Express reported.