On Tuesday, accusations of phone tapping during the past Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) administration in Telangana sparked a heated discussion, leading to demands from the Congress government for a comprehensive investigation and BJP claims about phone tapping incidents during the 2019 LS elections. The BRS leader and former minister E. Dayakar Rao denied allegations that he, along with a police officer, unlawfully detained a businessman and demanded 50 lakh rupees. He also denied any connection to the phone tapping case, where three police officers were arrested.
What Is Phone Tapping Case?
The focus of the recent controversy involves claims of extensive phone tapping targeting political figures, particularly Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) administration led by K Chandrashekar Rao. This scandal emerged after the arrest of suspended DSP of Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Praneeth Rao, on March 13, who was accused of participating in unauthorized profiling, unlawful phone tapping, and the destruction of computer systems and official data. Consequently, the Telangana government suspended him from his duties.
Accusations Unveiled
Following a complaint by an additional superintendent of police from the SIB, Praneeth Rao’s arrest ensued, leading to a case being registered against him and his alleged accomplices at the Panjagutta police station. The charges include criminal breach of trust, evidence destruction, and criminal conspiracy. Furthermore, it has been alleged that the intelligence team extorted money from businessmen and deliberately eliminated all traces of their illicit activities, including digital and physical evidence.
Targets of Surveillance
Reports suggest that approximately 100,000 phone calls were illegally intercepted during the period under investigation. Apart from Chief Minister Reddy, it is believed that members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and even the BRS leadership may have been subjected to surveillance. The accused allegedly gathered intelligence on political fundraising activities. Moreover, those involved in the scandal were reported to have monitored several Telugu actors and businessmen, using the acquired information for purposes of blackmail.
Who Is Saran Chowdary?
Saran Chowdary, a BJP State Executive Member, filed a complaint against Ex-DCP Radhakrishna and TS Umamaheswara Rao. BRS leader Dayakar Rao stated his unfamiliarity with Saran Chowdary, mentioning that the latter was suspended from BJP due to allegations of land grabbing and cheating Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). The former BRS minister claimed Saran Chowdary faced multiple cases against him, as he was allegedly involved in encroachments by creating fake documents. Dayakar Rao, with 40 years of political experience, asserted that he had never faced any allegations and denied any connections to Praneeth Rao, the suspended DSP of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), who was arrested in a phone tapping case.
Political Slugfest
In response to the controversy, Union Minister and BJP Telangana President G Kishan Reddy called for a judicial inquiry into the phone tapping allegations. He accused certain police officers of tapping phones not only of politicians but also officials and businessmen, acting “like a mafia.” Reddy urged thorough police action in the matter. KT Rama Rao, working president of the BRS party, countered by accusing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of distracting the public from pressing issues by selectively leaking information about phone tapping during the previous BRS government to specific media channels. The Telangana Congress, citing news reports, urged for a clean administration and strict warnings to be issued to officers across all departments to prevent malpractices and corruption.
