Phone tapping case: Telangana High Court grants bail to Bhujanga Rao, Radha Kishan Rao

There is possibility of delay in trial as investigating agency yet to complete inquiry, notes judge

Hyderabad: Justice K Sujana of Telangana High Court on Thursday granted bail to Nayini Bhujanga Rao and Radha Kishan Rao, who are facing criminal charges in the phone tapping case.

Bhujanga Rao and Radha Kishan Rao had filed the criminal petitions seeking bail. Petitioners were implicated for allegedly recording conversations of various political leaders and judges. Further allegations of using technology for creating profiles of targeted individuals, including leaders of political parties and their supporters were levelled.

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Monitoring the locations of individuals using their phones, damaging the hard disks of computer systems at Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) were other allegations.

The petitioners argued that Bhujanga Rao was not an employee of the SIB office during the relevant period and that Radha Kishan was a former DCP of Task Force and his duties did not involve the SIB office.

Petitioners’ counsel added Bhujanga Rao had complied with the conditions of previous interim bail and there were no chances of absconding. The counsel claimed petitioners were innocent of the alleged offences.

He further told the court that Bhujanga Rao had severe health issues including heart conditions and recurring headaches, posing danger to his life and that there was no adequate medical care in the judicial custody due to lack of experienced medical professionals and equipment.

Radha Kishan was made scapegoat and was removed from service seven months prior to the filing of FIR, the counsel argued.

On the other hand, the public prosecutor representing the State contended that the investigation had uncovered serious crime and that the petitioners allegedly misused their official position to commit these crimes. Accordingly, he requested the court to dismiss the bail application.

Hearing the arguments of both the sides, the judge observed that the investigating agency was yet to complete their inquiry and there was possibility of delay in trial. The judge noted that the Supreme Court had granted bail to the prime accused in the crime.

The judge also considered the information given by police in a sealed cover. Hearing all parties at length, the judge granted conditional bail to the petitioners directing them to cooperate with the investigating agency.

Surrendering their passports and furnishing two sureties for an amount of Rs 1 lakh were two conditions among others.