Former Telangana Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakhar Rao is the main accused in the case, which has roiled the state ahead of the general elections

Hyderabad: 

A fourth accused who played a key role in the Telangana phone-tapping case has been arrested. After prolonged questioning at Banjara Hills police station in Hyderabad, the former Deputy Commissioner of Police at the Commissioner’s Task Force, P Radhakrishna Rao, has been taken into custody, sources said

Mr Radhakrishna was the chief security officer to former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, and was later the special task force chief in the city.

Radhakishan Rao) was called for questioning yesterday to Banjara Hills police station, and during his questioning he confessed about his involvement in the commission of the reported crimes of conspiracy to develop profiles of private persons, exploiting the official resources meant for lawful duties,” a police release said Friday night.

He has confessed to his involvement in the commission of the reported crimes of conspiracy to put surveillance over such private persons without authorisation and illegally, to carry out certain actions in a politically biased manner, to exploit official resources to transport money illegally when the election Model Code of Conduct is in force, to destroy evidence of their illegal activities by damaging public property and causing disappearance of evidence in collusion with other accused persons, it claimed.

On his confession, he was arrested by the Investigation Officer today around 8 am and was produced before a local court. Judicial custody was sought, which was accepted, the release said.

He has been remanded in judicial custody till April 12, it added.

Two arrested former policemen, Bhujanga Rao and Tirupatanna, were brought to Banjara hills police station for questioning. The Nampally court had allowed the police five-day custody of the two cops

Former Telangana Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakhar Rao is the main accused in the case, which has roiled the state ahead of the general elections.

The Telangana phone-tapping case involves gathering electronic data not just for political intelligence, but to blackmail leaders, and even private companies and Tollywood celebrities.

Congress leader N Uttam Kumar Reddy told NDTV all this happened with the knowledge of the leadership of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. “It is only a matter of time before they (BRS) leaders come under the ambit of the investigation,” Mr Reddy said.

The accused No. 1, T Prabhakhar Rao, is in the US. Sources said investigators expect him to make himself available soon to join the probe. A ‘lookout circular’ to catch wanted people at entry and exit points such as airports has also been issued against him

Shravan Rao – also believed to be out of the country – allegedly helped set up Israeli-origin phone-tapping equipment and servers on the premises of a local school.

Several other Telangana police officers are being investigated in connection with this case.

Three others – Additional Superintendents of Police (SP) Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna, and Deputy SP Praneeth Rao – have already been arrested. The police said Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna, arrested last week, had admitted to monitoring private individuals illegally and destroying the evidence.

According to reports, Ravi Paul, a technical consultant with the state intelligence bureau under the then BRS government, had allegedly helped import and set up phone-tapping equipment near the residence of Mr Reddy to listen in on his conversations.

The equipment, it is alleged, was imported from Israel using a software company as the front. No permission from the Centre – a must for such imports – was taken, it is learnt. With this setup, anything spoken within a rangeof 300 metres could be heard, reports say.Ravi Paul, it is alleged, set up an office near Mr Reddy’s residence and installed the device. Police are set to question him in this connection.The surveillance was not restricted to Opposition leaders. Top businessmen, including real estate dealers and jewellers, and celebrities were also under surveillance. In fact, the tapping of phone conversations led to the divorce of a celebrity couple, reports say.

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