SIT may seek extension of ex-SIB chief's custody in TG phone tapping case
The former IPS officer surrendered before the investigating officer on December 12
image for illustrative purpose
Hyderabad: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone-tapping case is likely to seek extension of police custody of former Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao, who is the prime accused in the case.
Prabhakar Rao's police custody will end on Thursday. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Friday. The former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer surrendered before the investigating officer on December 12, a day after the Supreme Court directed him to surrender for custodial interrogation for a week. When his police custody came to an end on December 18, the investigating authorities approached the Supreme Court seeking further extension of the custody on the grounds that he was not cooperating in the probe and refusing to divulge key information.
The nine-member fresh SIT constituted by the Telangana government on December 18 questioned Prabhakar Rao. The panel also grilled other accused – former Task Force DCP T Radha Kishan Rao, Additional SP Mekala Thirupathanna and a television channel owner N Sravan Kumar. The SIT officials also quizzed Prabhakar Rao in the presence of another accused and former DSP D Praneeth Rao. The fresh SIT is working under the overall supervision of Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar to probe the alleged phone tapping during the previous BRS regime. Ramagundam Police Commissioner Ambar Kishore Jha, Siddipet Commissioner of Police S M Vijay Kumar.
