SIT issues notice to Harish Rao in phone-tapping case

Hours after accusing the Congress government of irregularities in Singareni Collieries tenders, BRS leader Harish Rao was served a notice by SIT to appear for questioning in phone-tapping case. The timing of the summons has sparked controversy

Hyderabad: Hours after he exposed irregularities in Singareni coal mine tenders, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday served notices to former Minister and BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao, directing him to appear for questioning at the Jubilee Hills police station at 11 am on Tuesday.

The timing has drawn attention, coming just hours after Harish Rao publicly exposed alleged irregularities in Singareni Collieries tenders and demanded a CBI probe into a large-scale scam involving senior leaders of the Congress government.

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SIT officers visited his Gachibowli residence to deliver the notice. As Harish Rao was away, the notice was handed to his family members. Sources said the notice was issued based on statements recorded from individuals already questioned, including a private media group’s senior executive.

Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by a realtor, Chakradhar Goud, who filed a case in Punjagutta police station against Harish Rao, alleging that his phone was tapped during the BRS regime. The apex court declined to interfere with the earlier decision of the Telangana High Court, which dismissed the FIR for lack of evidence.

In a separate hearing, the Supreme Court recently questioned the prolonged interrogation of former intelligence chief Prabhakar Rao in the phone-tapping case. The court directed the SIT officers to complete its questioning quickly and posted the case for the next hearing on March 10.