Hyderabad: Former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao, the main suspect in the phone tapping case, returned to Hyderabad from the United States on Sunday. He is expected to meet the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday. After spending 14 months in the US, the retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer came back to India as instructed by the Supreme Court last week. Prabhakar Rao assured the court he would cooperate with the investigation and return promptly once he received a one-time entry passport.
The Indian Embassy in the US issued an emergency transit warrant for Prabhakar Rao, following the Supreme Court’s directive to appear before the inquiry related to the phone tapping allegations.
Investigators have made significant progress in the case by recently questioning police officials and influential figures, including journalists.
Prabhakar Rao allegedly formed a team within SIB, including officials like Praneeth Rao, to keep watch on rival political leaders, their families, dissidents within the ruling party, businessmen, journalists, and judges. These allegations surfaced in March last year during the previous BRS government, after Deputy Superintendent of Police Praneeth Rao was arrested based on a complaint from his superior, D Ramesh, Additional SP with SIB. The police have identified six suspects in this case. Praneeth Rao, along with Additional SPs Thirupathanna, Bhujanga Rao, and former DCP P Radha Kishan Rao, have been arrested.
