The Hyderabad city police officials probing the phone tapping case are focussed on recovering destroyed evidence. While remnants of hard drive have been traced in the Musi River, other pieces of data have also been discovered elsewhere, officials informed.
About 42 hard drives containing illegally curated profiles of several individuals were destroyed and replaced with new ones on the night of December 4, 2023, the day Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) lost the Telangana State Assembly Elections, a complaint filed by D. Ramesh, Additional SP with the SIB stated.
On Friday, R. Radhakrishna Rao, former DCP of Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad, was arrested. According to the officials, Mr. Radhakrishna Rao was also found to be involved in facilitating movement of cash and gold during the 2023 election season.
“He will be questioned further,” officials probing the case informed about Gattu Mallu who was an Inspector of Commissioner’s Task Force and later at the Intelligence Branch.
Meanwhile, the West Zone Police concluded the first day of questioning of Additional DCP of CSW Mekala Thirupathanna and Additional SP of Bhupalpally, Nayini Bhujanga Rao, who were arrested earlier this week in the same case.
Ravi Pal, a technical consultant to the SIB, is currently being questioned in the case. According to the officials, Mr. Pal played a key role in supplying technical support to the team that carried out the snooping activity. “He is being questioned to understand the technology used for phone tapping, surveillance of opposition leader, develop profiles of private persons and destroy evidence,” one of the officials explained.
Politicians seek strict police action against illegal surveillance and profiling
Meanwhile, three politicians have come forward with allegations that their phones and privacy was compromised by the SIB officials.
“We have taken up the complaints and will be verifying the claims as per protocol,” said an official from the State police.
Former BJP MLA of Dubbak Assembly constituency M. Raghunandan Rao approached the DGP on Wednesday alleging that his phone was kept under surveillance during BRS rule. Mahabubnagar Congress MLA Yennam Srinivas Reddy also approached the top cop for the same. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader K. Laxman also demanded the Telangana government to ask for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the case.
Timeline of events
December 4 – Former DSP of SIB Praneeth Rao dismantled and destroyed equipment containing data of alleged phone tapping and illegal surveillance by turning off the cameras.
March 10 – A complaint was lodged by D. Ramesh, Additional SP of the SIB by the Panjagutta police.
March 13 – West Zone police of Hyderabad nabbed Praneeth Rao from his residence in Rajanna-Sircilla district.
March 16 – Police obtained seven days custody for Praneeth Rao and grilled him at the office of ACP Jubilee Hills.
March 23 – Panjagutta police arrest Additional DCP of CSW Thirupathanna and Additional SP of Bhupalpally N. Bhujanga Rao.
March 24 – Additional SPs Thirupathanna and N. Bhujanga Rao are remanded to 14-day of judicial custody.
March 28 – The West Zone police get five-day custody of the two Additional SPs for questioning.
March 29 – The former DCP of Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad, P. Radhakrishna Rao arrested.
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