KCR Summoned In Phone Tapping Case, Party Alleges Political Vendetta

BRS chief and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has been summoned for questioning for the first time in the phone-tapping case. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case served the notice at his residence in Hyderabad on Thursday, asking him to appear on Friday at 3 pm. However, in view of KCR's advanced age, officials have allowed him to pick a suitable place in Hyderabad for questioning, under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The phone-tapping case relates to allegations that during the previous BRS government, when KCR was the chief minister, Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officials illegally monitored the phones of politicians, journalists, businessmen and others without proper permission.

Read: "Scripted": KTR Slams Congress After SIT Questioning In Phone-Tapping Probe

After the BRS lost power in 2023 and the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government took over, an FIR was registered in 2024, and the SIT was formed to investigate the matter.

In the FIR, Hyderabad police named several senior police officers and others as accused, including former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao, DSP D Praneeth Rao, Additional SPs N Bhujanga Rao and M Thirupathanna, former DCP Radha Kishan Rao, and TV channel owner Shravan Kumar Rao.

Some of them are currently out on bail, while others have received interim protection from arrest.

This is the first time KCR has been formally summoned in the case. Earlier, the SIT had questioned several senior BRS leaders, including his nephew T Harish Rao on January 19. His son and BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) was questioned for nearly seven hours on January 23. Another nephew, Joginapally Santosh Rao, appeared before the SIT on January 28.

Read: KCR Should Be Accused Number 1 In Phone-Tapping Case: BJP Leader To NDTV

Following the notice to KCR, BRS has hit out at the Congress government and called the move "political vendetta." KTR accused the ruling party of using investigations to divert attention from its failure to fulfil election promises. He reminded that KCR is a leader who played a key role in the formation and development of Telangana and cannot be targeted through what they called "revenge politics."

On the other hand, the Congress defended the SIT's action. Telangana Congress leaders said the investigation is being carried out as per law and has no political motive. They stated that questioning all concerned persons is necessary to ensure justice.