Phone-Tapping Rampant Under Revanth Reddy, Alleges Opposition Leader

Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar has lodged a formal complaint with the police levelling serious allegations against Telangana's Congress government. In the complaint, he has alleged widespread phone tapping under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's administration. 

Praveen Kumar was among the first to complain about his phone being tapped during the previous BRS government. He has also appeared before the Special Investigation Team that is probing the alleged phone tapping.

While the SIT's primary focus has been on surveillance under the former BRS government, Praveen Kumar has used the opportunity to expand the scope of the investigation.

He has claimed that the present Congress government is utilizing "high-end dark web tools" to illegally intercept the communications of its own ministers, opposition leaders, and even businessmen. 

He has submitted a written complaint to the SIT, reportedly including video evidence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy allegedly admitting to surveillance. 

Praveen Kumar cited instances where Mr Reddy reportedly knew about private conversations between ministers, later confronting one of them with the details. He questioned how such information could have been accessed without illicit phone tapping. He also alleged that a journalist was reprimanded by the Chief Minister for speaking to another BRS leader, again raising suspicions of surveillance.

The BRS leader also pointed to media reports suggesting that malware had been planted on ministers' devices to intercept calls and messages. He urged the SIT to summon the affected ministers and conduct forensic examinations of their phones to uncover the truth.

The complaint from Praveen Kumar adds a new dimension to the already complex phone-tapping investigation in Telangana. 

Previously, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had stated his willingness to cooperate with the SIT if he received a notice, emphasizing that while phone tapping itself isn't illegal, strict procedures must be followed.

The BRS has been vocal in demanding a High Court-monitored inquiry into the phone-tapping allegations and has called for the government to submit a sealed list to the court detailing whose phones are being tapped. 

They have emphasized Section 5 of the Telegraph Act, which only permits phone tapping in the interest of national security.

The SIT now faces the challenging task of investigating not only the alleged phone tapping during the previous administration, but also the fresh accusations of ongoing surveillance under the current government, making the probe even more politically charged.