Hyderabad: Former Special Intelligence Branch chief denies the allegations

Hyderabad: Former Telangana Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao, the prime accused in the phone tapping case, has denied the allegations against him. The retired inspector general of police, who is in the US, has told the investigating officer (IO) that he is having to delay his return to India due to several health issues. He assured that he will fully cooperate in the investigation and will personally answer all questions as soon as his health improves and on his return to India. “Till I return to India, I will talk through teleconferencing,” he said in a letter dated June 23. The retired IPS officer requested the IO to conduct a fair and impartial investigation in accordance with the provisions of law. Prabhakar Rao denied the allegations levelled against him.

“I would like to reiterate once again what I had told you through WhatsApp calls on March 22 and 23 that I have neither done any illegal act nor directed anyone to do so while discharging my duties as a police officer even as the SIB chief,” the letter reads. The former SIB chief wrote that he had originally planned to return to India on June 26 but had to postpone it due to health reasons. He told the investigating officer that apart from the existing problem of malignant cancer, he has also developed hypertension due to stress, “After the registration of the present case and even before I am made an accused in the case, my character and reputation are being damaged by continuous deliberate leaks to the media by making baseless and false allegations against me.” He said that the false allegations came as a great shock to him and his family, which further deteriorated his physical and mental health. Prabhakar Rao said that he is now suffering from heart and kidney problems, for which he is seeking appointments with specialists in the US. He further wrote that his consulting doctors have advised him not to travel outside the US until his health is completely stable.

However, I am ready to fully cooperate in the investigation and provide any such information through email, which you feel is in my special knowledge and possession. I don’t think my non-appearance before the IO at the first time will hamper the investigation in any way as it is already evident from the outcome of the investigation and filing of the chargesheet,” he said. So far, three serving police officers and a former officer have been arrested in the phone tapping case, which came to light after the BRS lost power to the Congress and an officer in the SIB who was part of the operation was found destroying the collected data. A case was registered with the Panjagutta police in March after a petition was filed by the additional SP, SIB. DSP Praneeth Rao was arrested after he allegedly destroyed hard disks and other data. Later, the police arrested former additional SPs Bhujanga Rao and Tirupathanna and former deputy commissioner of police P Radha Kishan Rao.