In Hyderabad, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana is demanding a CBI investigation into alleged phone tapping. BJP MP K Laxman stated that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy should request a CBI probe into the phone tapping that occurred during the previous government’s rule.
Laxman expressed concern over the phone tapping case, especially with the recent arrests of police officials allegedly involved. He mentioned allegations of phone tapping during by-elections in Dubbaka, Munugode, and Huzurabad Assembly seats. Laxman accused the Revanth Reddy government of protecting the true culprits in the case.
The BJP leader criticized the Congress and BRS parties for engaging in a “Tom and Jerry fight” by making allegations against each other during elections to deceive the public. Laxman claimed that cash intended for the ruling party during elections was transported in police vehicles and that realtors and jewellers were targeted through phone tapping.
A delegation of BJP leaders plans to meet with the Governor to request a thorough investigation by the Centre into the phone tapping. Laxman alleged that opposition party leaders’ phones were tapped under the BRS rule, and the ruling party tried to gain political advantage from it.
The issue of phone tapping came to light with the arrest of Deputy Superintendent of Police D. Praneeth Rao from the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB). Three more officials were subsequently arrested, including former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Task Force Radha Kishan Rao. Police claimed that a Special Operations Team within SIB was established to surveil political leaders, their families, and dissidents within the ruling party.
Authorities have issued a look-out circular for former SIB chief Prabhakar Rao, who allegedly ordered SIB officials to conduct the phone tapping.
