Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud addressing the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the State police as a witness in the phone tapping case involving the previous BRS government.
The SIT is examining witnesses in connection with the alleged illegal surveillance of overall 600 phone numbers, tapped at various points, including up until two months before the 2023 Assembly elections. Those under surveillance reportedly included journalists, politicians, film actors and businessmen, sources close to the investigation revealed.
After his appearance, Mr. Goud told the media that he had provided information as requested by investigators.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MLC B. Mahesh Kumar Goud has accused the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government of orchestrating large-scale illegal phone tapping for political gains. He claimed the Congress lost several MLA seats in the 2018 Assembly elections due to this surveillance.
The SIT has now summoned former Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) chief T. Prabhakar Rao to appear on June 19. Officials plan to question him about the surveillance and distress caused to those whose phones were tapped.
Mr. Rao, the main accused in the case, returned to Hyderabad on June 8 after staying in the US for over 15 months. He had avoided questioning since the case was booked against him at Panjagutta police station in March 2024.
The phone tapping case came to light following the arrest of former SIB DSP Praneeth Rao on March 13 last year. He was detained from his home in Rajanna-Sircilla district after his superior, Additional SP D.Ramesh, filed a complaint accusing him of unlawfully intercepting the calls of several high-ranking political leaders and officials.
Speaking to the media, he alleged that phones of over 650 Congress leaders were tapped, including those of then TPCC president and now Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. He also said leaders from BJP and TDP were targeted for the ruling party’s political gain in 2018. He accused then Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP, and Home Secretary of enabling the surveillance under political pressure. He also alleged that Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T. Prabhakar Rao, who was unofficially designated as IG of SIB, played a key role in the operation.
Mr.Mahesh Kumar demanded that all those involved, including former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K.T. Rama Rao, be held accountable. “No one should be spared. Every person involved must be punished,” he said, adding that the Supreme Court had recognised the phone tapping case as a special one in the country.
Published – June 18, 2025 01:21 on is
