Phone tapping case: BRS MLC Naveen Rao appears before SIT

In connection with the phone tapping case that has created a political stir in Telangana, BRS MLC Naveen Rao appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday for questioning. The case pertains to allegations that illegal phone tapping took place during the previous BRS government, and the investigation is being conducted by Hyderabad police.

Naveen Rao was summoned after the SIT issued notices asking him to cooperate with the inquiry. Acting on the notice, he attended the SIT office and answered questions posed by the investigators, police officials said.

The SIT has already questioned former Telangana Intelligence Chief T. Prabhakar Rao, who is named as the prime accused in the case. As part of the ongoing probe, Hyderabad police have arrested a suspended DSP of the Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and three other police officers since March 2024. They are accused of illegally tapping phones and deleting sensitive intelligence data stored on electronic devices. All four were later granted bail by the court.

According to investigators, the accused were part of a larger conspiracy to misuse SIB resources for political purposes. Officials allege that several citizens were kept under unauthorized surveillance, detailed profiles were illegally created, and the collected information was used to benefit a political party.

The phone tapping controversy has sparked intense debate in state politics. With the SIT continuing its investigation, officials believe more crucial details are likely to emerge in the coming days.