Key accused in Telangana phone tapping case is in US: Sources

Former state intelligence chief T Prabhakar Rao, a key figure in the Telangana phone tapping case, is reportedly in the US under the guise of medical treatment, sources told India Today.

Prabhakar Rao, who is evading arrest, is accused of being involved in tapping the phones of Opposition leaders when the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) government was in power. He is also accused of attempting to destroy evidence when the last year's assembly election results came out in favour of Congress.

Authorities suspect Rao's involvement in linking political heavyweights from the K Chandrashekar Rao regime to the scandal. The police recently issued a lookout circular (LOC) against Prabhakar Rao.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Police arrested former Deputy Commissioner of Police Radha Kishan Rao for his alleged role in executing the phone-tapping operation. He was questioned for over 10 hours.

The investigation has already led to the arrest of several key figures, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Praneeth Rao, as well as Additional Superintendent of Police Bhujanga Rao and senior police Tirupathanna.

A case has been registered against them on charges of criminal breach of trust by a public servant, causing the disappearance of evidence, criminal conspiracy, and other sections of the IPC, PDPP Act, and IT Act 2000.