Phone tapping case: Setback for police as Telangana High Court suspends investigation

Directs Punjagutta police to halt any further investigation into the matter; next hearing scheduled for March 3

Hyderabad: The High Court has issued interim orders to suspend the investigation in the phone tapping case filed by Congress leader and real estate businessman Chakradhar Goud.

The court directed the Punjagutta police to halt any further investigation into the matter, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 3. Chakradhar Goud had filed a complaint with the Punjagutta police, alleging that his phone had been tapped. Based on his complaint, the police registered an FIR, naming former Minister and Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao as the first accused (A-1), former DCP Radhakishan Rao as the second accused (A-2), along with three other individuals.

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In response, Harish Rao filed a petition in the High Court, seeking the quashing of the FIR, claiming that the phone tapping case was politically motivated. Radhakishan Rao also approached the court, arguing that the registration of two separate FIRs for the same issue was illegal and should be dismissed. During the hearing, senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, representing the petitioners presented the argument stating that three individuals had already been arrested in the case and the police were forcefully taking false confessions against Harish Rao. He requested the court to issue orders to suspend the investigation.

The Public Prosecutor on the other hand stated that, the police are following the court order in not arresting the petitioners, however they are proceeding with the investigation as there was no bar on investigation.

After hearing the arguments, Justice K Lakshman issued interim orders, halting the investigation until further notice. The next hearing for the case is set for March 3.