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The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
DSP accused in phone tapping case set to be demoted to inspector
In what is being described as 'side effect' of telephone tapping case, second accused D. Praneeth Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police under suspension, is likely to be demoted as Inspector. A sub-inspector of 2007 batch, Mr. Kumar, also known as Praneeth Rao, was shifted to the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) in 2018 in the rank of Inspector. Before joining SIB, he served in Nalgonda district. Five years after his stint with SIB, he got elevated as DSP through 'accelerated promotion' which is extended to police officials for commendable performance in anti-Left wing extremist operations. There is no direct connection between his elevation as DSP through 'accelerated promotion' and the telephone tapping case, the accelerated promotion angle cropped up when the police officials probing the telephone tapping case began analysing different aspects of the case like why the prime accused and former police officer T. Prabhakar Rao specifically chose Mr. Praneeth Rao and others to eavesdrop on the phones of others. Mr. Prabhakar Rao was heading the SIB, while on extension of service following retirement, when the proposal for promoting Mr. Praneeth Rao as DSP was taken. Investigators, after questioning both of them, surmise that Mr. Praneeth Rao was 'gifted' with accelerated promotion as DSP though his work did not meet the standards applied to other police officers in such matters. Interestingly, a serving DSP M. Gangadhar (who eventually quit and entered politics by contesting for MLC) questioned Mr. Praneeth Rao's promotion by writing open letters to State police chief and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. When police officials probing telephone tapping case dug deeper, they found that Mr. Praneeth Rao's promotion was not in compliance with the parameters or standards adhered to in accelerated promotions awarded to other police officers. Though Mr. Gangadhar challenged similar promotions awarded to three other police officers, the case of Mr. Praneeth Rao assumed importance because of his alleged complicity in telephone tapping case. The investigators reportedly submitted a report to the higher-ups pointing out the discrepancies in the accelerated promotion of Mr. Praneeth Rao. 'This has raised many issues relating to awarding accelerated promotions. Hopefully, the government would strictly adhere to procedures and justify all such pending proposals, if any,' said a police officer unwilling to be named.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SIB ex-chief: Did political snooping, destroyed hard discs
Hyderabad: In a major development in the high-profile phone tapping case, former chief of Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), T Prabhakar Rao, admitted that a special operations team (SOT) within the SIB was engaged in political surveillance during his tenure. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rao maintained senior police officials were fully aware of these activities and did not name any political leader as being involved. During a nine-hour-long interrogation on Wednesday, Prabhakar Rao claimed he continued as SIB chief after his retirement in June 2020 only at the insistence of top police officials. He presented a two-page recommendation letter from a senior officer backing his reappointment. Investigators focused on the formation of the SOT in 2018, which Prabhakar Rao confirmed was tasked with political surveillance—far outside SIB's original anti-Naxal mandate. Prabhakar Rao asserted that he acted under the instructions of senior police officials above him in the chain of command. He also admitted that hard disks containing phone tapping data were destroyed in 2023, well before the mandated retention period and just ahead of the Congress coming to power. He remained evasive on whether the decision was made under instructions from higher-ups in the police department, but made no mention of any involvement by the political leadership. The case, registered at Punjagutta police station on March 10, 2024, has raised serious questions about privacy and the alleged misuse of state intelligence for political purposes. Prabhakar Rao had fled to the United States via Chennai shortly after the probe began. However, on June 8, following a Supreme Court order restoring his passport and granting him protection from arrest, he returned to India and appeared before investigators on June 9. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In his latest round of questioning on Wednesday, Rao appeared prepared, with responses closely aligning with earlier court submissions. He remained evasive when asked to name individuals who were under surveillance, often citing lack of memory or knowledge. He said the SOT operated under deputy superintendent of police G Praneeth Rao's supervision and that sensitive data was destroyed before its due date. No electronic devices were seized from him so far, but investigators are considering seeking written responses to clarify further points. Officials plan to question Praneeth Rao again on June 13, while Prabhakar Rao will face another round of questioning on June 14.
New Indian Express
02-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telengana phone tapping case: Ex-SIB chief likely to return to India after SC grants interim protection from arrest
HYDERABAD: T Prabhakar Rao, the prime accused in the phone-tapping case and former chief of the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), is likely to return to India in the coming days following interim protection granted by the Supreme Court. A few days ago, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) revoked his passport at the request of Telangana police. With the Supreme Court directing the police not to take any coercive action until further orders, the court also instructed authorities to facilitate his return by restoring his passport or issuing a travel document. Sources told TNIE that Prabhakar Rao is expected to visit the Indian Embassy in the US on Monday to apply for a one-time travel document using the Supreme Court's directive. Once issued, he will return to India and is expected to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. The Panjagutta police registered the case on March 10, 2024. Prabhakar Rao left the country the following day and has remained in the US since. INTERPOL also issued a Red Corner Notice against him a few months ago. Meanwhile, Hyderabad police obtained a proclamation order from the Nampally court. If Rao fails to return by June 20, he will be officially declared a proclaimed offender. Notices have already been served at his residence and in his colony.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Why ‘review committee' was not being questioned in telephone tapping case, Prabhakar Rao's counsel asks in High Court
The police were targeting telephone tapping case prime accused and retired IPS officer T. Prabhakar Rao instead of questioning the State government's 'review committee' which was aware and accepted the telephone tapping operations, said senior counsel T. Niranjan Reddy. Presenting contentions for Mr. Rao (who is in USA and sought protection from arrest in the telephone tapping case) before Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, the senior counsel said the 'review committee' comprising Chief Secretary and two other officials of the rank of Secretaries should give consent to tap a person's phone. Mr. Rao was an officer of only the rank of Inspector General of Police. The police were only targeting Mr. Rao, who was a cancer patient, but did not question or record statements of any member of the review committee, the counsel said. He said that none of the members of the review committee were made an accused in the case though they played a crucial role and had the power to check illegal tapping of phones or eavesdropping on phone calls of others. 'He was made an accused not because he was the mastermind, but because police wanted someone to be held accountable,' the senior lawyer said. Referring to allegations that Mr. Rao destroyed hard discs containing telephone tapping and other crucial data while operating from the Special Intelligence Branch office, he contended that the same review committee was empowered to take a final call on destruction of such data. It was for the review committee to decide whether to destroy the data and Mr. Rao being an officer of the rank of IGP had no role to play, Mr. Niranjan Reddy argued. There was not an iota of evidence to connect Mr. Rao with the destruction of data and evidence relating to tapping of telephones from SIB office. Barring the statements of some officers who maintained that Mr. Rao directed them to erase the evidence, there was no clinching material to prove the allegation, the advocate said. He argued that another accused in the case, Sravan, who too initially left the country and eventually returned to India was granted anticipatory bail by the Supreme Court. When Mr. Rao was ready to cooperate with the police in further investigation of the case and ready to return to India, the police should not oppose his petition to seek protection from arrest, the lawyer said. Senior counsel of Supreme Court Sidharth Luthra (appearing for Telangana police), opposing contentions of Niranjan Reddy, contended that Mr. Rao blatantly violated the provisions of Indian Telegraph Act by indulging in tapping of telephones for the benefit of politicians in power. He sought to know why Mr. Rao opted for employment in police department in the capacity of Officer on Special Duty when he was suffering from cancer. Health ailment did not come in the way while accepting job after retirement but was being cited as a ground for protection from arrest despite being involved in serious offence of telephone tapping, the senior counsel said. The judge posted the matter to Tuesday for next hearing.
