Phone tapping row: SIT calls Santosh Rao

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone tapping case has summoned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former MP from Telangana, Joginapally Santosh Rao, for questioning on Tuesday.

Santosh Rao, a former member of the Rajya Sabha, has been directed to appear before Assistant Commissioner of Police P. Venkatagiri at the Office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police at 11 a.m.

The notice, issued under section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, states that during the investigation, it came to the notice of the Investigating Officer that he is acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case, and hence his examination is necessary for the investigation.

The case relates to the alleged tapping of phones of several political opponents, businessmen, journalists and even judges under the previous BRS government's tenure.

Santosh Rao is the nephew of BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).

He is the third top leader and a close relative of KCR to be summoned for questioning by the SIT during the last one week.

KCR’s son and BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) was questioned by the SIT for more than seven hours on January 23.

KCR’s nephew and former minister T. Harish Rao was questioned by the SIT on January 20.

The SIT had earlier questioned BRS MLC K. Naveen Rao and former MLAs Jaipal Yadav and C. Lingaiah in the same case.

It also examined Union Minister of State for Home, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and BJP MPs Eatala Rajender and M. Raghunandan Rao, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s brother Kondal Reddy as witnesses/victims.

The phone tapping case surfaced in March 2024. An FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act and Information Technology Act was registered at Panjagutta Police Station in Hyderabad.

A special team was allegedly constituted in the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) during the BRS regime to tap phones of several individuals.

Former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T. Prabhakar Rao is the main accused in the case. Deputy Superintendent of Police D. Praneeth Rao, Additional SPs Thirupathanna and N. Bhujanga Rao, former DCP Radha Kishan Rao and a television channel owner Sravan Kumar are the other accused.