Telangana Police Oppose Bail Plea of Ex-IPS Officer in Phone Tapping Case
In the ongoing phone tapping case, the Telangana Police have filed a counter petition in the High Court, emphasizing that former police officer Prabhakar Rao is a key accused in the matter. This counter was submitted in response to a pre-arrest bail petition filed by Prabhakar Rao.
According to the Public Prosecutor, the primary objective of the Special Operations Team (SOT) was phone tapping. He informed the court that it was Prabhakar Rao who established the SOT within the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and that the unit operated under his supervision.
The Public Prosecutor alleged that under Prabhakar Rao’s leadership, the SOT threatened opposition leaders, certain officials, businessmen, and real estate agents to extort money. It was also revealed that Prabhakar Rao, a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, did not cooperate with the investigation process as required by law.
The Public Prosecutor stated that Prabhakar Rao is currently abroad, and Interpol Red Corner Notices have been issued against him, prompting him to approach the High Court. Although he submitted a petition in the trial court claiming he would return to Hyderabad, it has been nearly nine months and he has not yet returned to India, the Public Prosecutor told the court.
On behalf of the police, the Public Prosecutor requested the court to dismiss Prabhakar Rao’s bail petition and issue directions for him to cooperate with the investigation. After hearing the arguments, the bench adjourned the next hearing to the 15th of this month.