RS Praveen Kumar calls out SIT for double standards in notices to KCR

BRS general secretary R.S. Praveen Kumar accused the Congress government of political vendetta in the phone tapping case, alleging double standards by the SIT in serving notices to former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and harassing BRS leaders.

Siddipet: BRS general secretary R S Praveen Kumar on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was trying to harass former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao out of political vendetta in the phone tapping case.

Responding to the Special Investigation Team serving notices to Chandrashekhar Rao in Siddipet, Praveen Kumar objected to the SIT insisting on Rao’s presence at his Nandi Nagar residence for interrogation. He alleged that the SIT was adopting double standards, pointing out that notices were served on former minister T Harish Rao at his Hyderabad residence even though he had mentioned his Siddipet address in his election affidavit.

---

He said the SIT was now insisting on Chandrashekhar Rao’s presence at the Nandi Nagar residence, citing it as his official residence based on his election affidavit. He questioned this approach, recalling that Congress ministers Konda Surekha and Seethakka had earlier visited the former Chief Minister at his Erravalli residence to invite him to the Sammakka Saralamma jathara. The SIT, constituted by the same government, was however insisting on his presence at Nandi Nagar, he alleged.

Praveen Kumar said that even when the BRS was in power, police had served notices on Revanth Reddy at his Hyderabad residence though his official residence was in Kodangal. Citing his own case, he said he too was served notices at his Hyderabad residence though he had mentioned his official address as Sirpur Kaghaz Nagar in his election affidavit. He alleged that had the SIT followed the same standard, notices should have been served on Chandrashekhar Rao at his Erravalli residence.

On the phone tapping issue, the BRS leader said no Chief Minister would ever ask the police to tap anyone’s phone. Stating that phone tapping was made legal under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, he said a Chief Minister would not direct the police to tap the phone of any particular individual.

He also objected to the SIT questioning BRS working president K T Rama Rao, former minister T Harish Rao and former MP Joginpally Santosh Kumar, stating that none of them had held the home portfolio. Though the SIT described them as witnesses, Praveen Kumar said they were interrogated for seven to nine hours.

He further alleged that details of the ongoing inquiry were being leaked to the media, which was publishing reports with objectionable thumbnails. The manner in which the SIT and the State government were treating Chandrashekhar Rao had shocked the entire Telangana, he claimed, describing him as the most respected leader in the State.

Praveen Kumar recalled that Chandrashekhar Rao had led the Telangana statehood movement for 14 long years, forcing the Centre to concede a separate State, and later transformed Telangana into a model of development during his 10 years in office.