SIT issues notice to KTR in phone-tapping case

The Special Investigation Team probing the phone-tapping case has issued notices to BRS working president KT Rama Rao, asking him to appear for questioning. The move comes shortly after former minister T Harish Rao was questioned for several hours.

Hyderabad: Less than 48 hours after former Minister T Harish Rao was questioned, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone-tapping case has summoned BRS working president KT Rama Rao for questioning on Friday. SIT officials served notices under Section 160 of the CrPC at his Nandinagar residence while he was away in his Sircilla constituency.

Rama Rao was asked to appear before the investigation team at the Jubilee Hills Assistant Commissioner of Police’s office at 11 am. BRS general secretary Soma Bharath Kumar said Rama Rao would comply with the summons and appear before the SIT.

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Speaking at Telangana Bhavan, Bharath Kumar alleged the SIT action was politically motivated and said the Congress government was misusing investigative agencies to silence the opposition. He questioned the prolonged interrogation of Harish Rao, arguing that as a witness, questioning should have been limited to stipulated hours. He warned that violation of the law would not be tolerated.

After coming to power, the Congress had accused the BRS government of running a secret intelligence unit and tapping the phones of over 600 people, including politicians, judges, actors and other rivals. A SIT headed by Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar was formed to investigate the case. The Congress had initially accused former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, former Ministers KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao in the phone-tapping case. However, the SIT summoned Harish Rao as a witness and questioned him on Tuesday, after the Supreme Court recently dismissed a petition filed against Harish Rao and declined to intervene in the orders given by the Telangana High Court, which ruled in his favour by dismissing the case against him.