4th cop arrested in Telangana phone-tapping case
What's the story
P Radhakrishna Rao, the fourth key suspect in the Telangana phone-tapping case, was arrested on Friday. Rao, who is the former Deputy Commissioner of Police at the Commissioner's Task Force, was thoroughly investigated by Hyderabad Police before his arrest. He had previously served as chief security officer to ex-Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. At least 30 police officers are being investigated in the case while a lookout notice has been issued for Telangana's former intelligence head and one other official.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The involvement of Telangana's intelligence chief in a phone-tapping scandal has placed Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the spotlight of grave accusations. The party—under the leadership of former CM Rao—has been accused of authorizing police officers to tap into phone conversations of opposition leaders, celebrities, and businesspersons. Among those reportedly targeted is incumbent CM Revanth Reddy. It is also alleged that this surveillance was used to pressure entrepreneurs into making substantial contributions to the BRS party fund.
Investigation progress
Two more ex-policemen summoned for questioning
Alongside Rao, ex-policemen Bhujanga Rao and Tirupatanna were also summoned to Banjara Hills police station for questioning. Both were earlier arrested and have confessed to unlawful surveillance and evidence tampering. The primary suspect in the case is former Telangana Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakar Rao, whose involvement has caused significant unrest in the state ahead of the general election. A lookout notice has been issued for Prabhakar, who is suspected to be residing in the United States (US).
Phone calls
Over one lakh phone calls intercepted
It is estimated that over one lakh phone calls were intercepted, including those affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. Speaking on the same, Congress leader N Uttam Kumar Reddy informed NDTV that the surveillance activities were conducted with full knowledge of the previous BRS government. "It is only a matter of time before they (BRS) leaders come under the ambit of the investigation," Reddy stated.
Surveillance details
Other suspects and extent of surveillance
Another suspect in the case is Shravan Rao, the owner of the Telugu TV channel I News, who allegedly assisted in setting up Israeli-origin phone-tapping equipment and servers on local school premises. The equipment, allegedly imported from Israel without necessary government permission, could reportedly eavesdrop on conversations within a 300-metre radius. Also, Ravi Paul, a technical consultant employed by the state intelligence bureau during the BRS's tenure, is accused of importing and installing phone-tapping equipment near CM Reddy's residence.