The Particular Intelligence Department (SIB) of the Telangana police, which is basically meant for monitoring the actions of the Maoists and different extremist components within the state, was utilized by the earlier Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) authorities to listen in on the focused political leaders of different events and likewise on rebels or dissidents throughout the BRS.
The data was disclosed by retired IPS officer P Radha Kishan Rao, who was the then deputy commissioner of police (DCP) within the Hyderabad job power police and was related to the SIB, throughout the BRS regime, in his confession assertion to the Punjagutta police probing the phone tapping case.
He revealed that former inspector common of police (IGP) T Prabhakar Rao, who was heading the SIB, cherry-picked a couple of “officers belonging to his personal caste” which was additionally the caste of the highest BRS management and used them in finishing up the snooping operations.
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Radha Kishan Rao was arrested on March 23 and was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days after being named as Accused No 4 (A-4) within the case. The remand report, which additionally incorporates his confession assertion, disclosed how the BRS management had used the SIB to see that the occasion would come to the ability for the third successive time period.
The assertion, a duplicate of which was reviewed by HT, mentioned the state authorities had created a Particular Operations Group (SOT) throughout the SIB in 2017, solely to maintain a surveillance over all actions of political leaders of the opposition events, their relations, associates, supporters, enterprise individuals and critics of the BRS occasion.
“The SOT was additionally given the duty of snooping on the suspicious actions of individuals throughout the BRS to maintain them beneath mild management of the occasion and its supremo. It was additionally used to induce potential political leaden of different events to affix the BRS which was clearly towards the mandate of SIB,” the confession assertion mentioned.
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The SIB, headed by then inspector common of police T Prabhakar Rao, had intentionally chosen police officers of the identical caste as that of the highest BRS management, in order to have a smoother coordination of their operation.
Whereas Duggyala Praneeth Rao, a earlier acquaintance of Prabhakar Rao, was made the pinnacle of the SOT, different officers together with further superintendent of police (retd) Venugopal Rao and two different further SPs G Tirupatanna and N Bhujanga Rao, all from the identical caste, have been roped into the SIB, in order that they might share Prabhakar Rao’s plans and execute his plans to make sure the BRS victory for third time in 2023 elections in Telangana.
Radha Kishan Rao, who retired from service on attaining the age of superannuation in August 2020, used the identical caste card with the BRS authorities and obtained reappointed as officer on particular responsibility (OSD) for a interval of three years within the job power police of Hyderabad.
“Once more, after the completion of the tenure in August 2023, he obtained additional extension as OSD for 3 extra years through the use of the political affect and caste equations, on the behest of Prabhakar Rao, who used his companies within the SIB to keep up maintain on Hyderabad police,” the confession assertion mentioned.
Throughout this era, Prabhakar Rao introduced all these officers belonging to the identical neighborhood into varied wings of the intelligence division. They used to satisfy repeatedly and focus on strengthening of the BRS and guaranteeing its victory for one more time period.
“Additional, on his suggestion, Gattu Mallu, who was working as inspector of job power, was introduced into the SIB. They determined to speak by way of encrypted apps and instruments like WhatsApp, Sign and Snapchat to make sure their “clandestine and unauthorised actions utilizing know-how, instruments and manpower” weren’t detected,” the confession assertion of Radha Kishan Rao mentioned.
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The SOT of the SIB, which had been snooping on the actions of the opposition leaders, seized ₹70 lakh belonging to at least one Anand Prasad of Bhavya Cements at Paradise Resort in December 2018 elections. Prasad was contesting on the Telugu Desam Get together ticket from Serilingampally meeting constituency.
Throughout the bye-election to Dubbaka meeting seat in November 2020, SOT head Praneeth Rao, utilizing the technical surveillance strategies, recognized the goal on the sphere and his crew seized money of ₹1 crore at Begumpet, which belongs to a discount fund firm of Siddipet, who’re kin and associates of Bharatiya Janata Get together candidate M Raghunandan Rao.
Related snooping was finished on BJP candidate Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy throughout the Munugodu meeting by-election within the second week of October 2022. Following an enter shared by Praneeth Rao beneath the instructions of Prabhakar Rao, the SOT seized internet money of about ₹3.50 crore.
The remand report mentioned Radha Kishan Rao additionally admitted that the SIB had additionally indulged in transporting of cash belonging to the ruling BRS throughout the 2023 elections.
In the meantime, a senior official of the Hyderabad police mentioned Prabhakar Rao, who had left for the US instantly after the arrest of Praneeth Rao on March 13 on the pretext of remedy to an ailment, despatched feelers to the federal government that he would give up to the police in a day or two.
“Extra skeletons will tumble out of the snoopgate cabinet as soon as Prabhakar Rao is taken into custody,” the official added.
The BRS leaders have remained tightlipped on the confession assertion of Radha Kisha Rao.