Supreme Court Extends Custody of Accused in Telangana Phone Tapping Scandal
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The Supreme Court has ordered the extension of police custody of T Prabhakar Rao, the former chief of Telangana's special intelligence bureau (SIB), by one week in a high-profile phone tapping case. This decision comes as the state government has set up a new special investigation team (SIT) to intensify the probe. The nine-member SIT, led by Hyderabad police commissioner V C Sajjanar, will also comprise other senior police officials. The team has been tasked with completing the investigation and filing a charge sheet quickly. Prabhakar Rao had surrendered to the investigating officer on December 12, following a Supreme Court order. The police custody was set to expire on Friday, but the authorities approached the court seeking an extension, citing Prabhakar Rao's lack of cooperation in the probe. The Supreme Court division bench, comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan, granted the extension till December 26, while also directing that no coercive steps be taken against Prabhakar Rao until the matter is heard next in January 2026. However, this protection is contingent upon his full cooperation with the investigation. The phone tapping case surfaced in March 2024, when a complaint was filed accusing DSP D Praneeth Rao of illegal phone tapping. Further investigations revealed a large-scale surveillance operation targeting various individuals, including politicians, businessmen, journalists, and judges. Six accused have been named in the case, including Prabhakar Rao, DSP D Praneeth Rao, and several other high-ranking officials. They have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP Act), and the IT Act for allegedly conspiring to commit crimes and misuse of official power.
