Hyderabad: In an ongoing effort to initiate deportation of former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao – currently in the United States – Telangana police have formally reached out to the US authorities with the assistance of the American embassy. Prabhakar Rao is the main accused in the phone tapping caseinvolving surveillance on political adversaries of BRS ahead of the 2023 assembly pollsLast month, Telangana officials informed their US counterparts that Prabhakar Rao’s Indian passport had been revoked by govt of India and he should be considered an illegal immigrant due to lack of a valid travel document. The communication also highlighted that Interpol had issued a red corner notice against him.According to the request, Prabhakar Rao is accused of orchestrating illegal phone tapping operations targeting several individuals, including political leaders – most notably chief minister A Revanth Reddy (then opposition leader) – journalists, businesspersons and others.These surveillance activities allegedly aimed to benefit the then ruling BRS govt for political gains, officials charged.Six months ago, Prabhakar Rao had sought political asylum in the US, alleging that he was being targeted by the Congress govt in a politically motivated witch-hunt. Telangana police believe that until hisasylum application is adjudicated, US authorities are unlikely to act on their deportation request.Along with Prabhakar Rao the other accused include four senior police officials and a media executive. These include D Praneet Rao (deputy superintendent of police, SIB), N Bhujanga Rao (additional SP), M Thirupathanna (additional SP), P Radha Kishan Rao (former DCP, task force), and Shravan Kumar Rao, senior executive of a vernacular news channel.A preliminary chargesheet was filed last year against the arrested accused – Praneet Rao, Bhujanga Rao, Thirupathanna and Radha Kishan Rao.The investigation report has reportedly been shared with the US authorities as part of the deportation request, sources said.Prabhakar Rao recently approached the Telangana high court, expressing his willingness to return to India if he was granted protection from arrest. However, the court dismissed his petition.Investigators said Prabhakar Rao had left for the US via Chennai soon after the Hyderabad police registered the surveillance case in March 2024 but before he was formally named as an accused.
