The Supreme Court has adjourned the high-profile Telangana phone tapping case to October 14, 2025, after crucial forensic evidence emerged against former Intelligence Chief T. Prabhakar Rao.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has adjourned the high-profile Telangana phone tapping case to October 14, 2025, following revelations of crucial evidence from forensic analysis. The development comes as the state government seeks cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to former state Intelligence Chief T. Prabhakar Rao, accused of orchestrating large-scale illegal phone surveillance.
ALSO READ: Bail to Minor’s Rapist| What are the Charges?: Supreme Court Issues Notice
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Bench, comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan, that a recent Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report contained vital material retrieved from a digital forensic platform.
“Key evidence has now been found on the forensic platform,”
Mehta stressed, highlighting the gravity of the findings.
The Telangana government had earlier alleged that the previous administration conducted widespread, unlawful surveillance and intercepted private communications of opposition leaders, journalists, and activists. The new forensic evidence is expected to strengthen the state’s plea and provide critical leads in the ongoing investigation.
Legal Proceedings So Far
The Supreme Court had previously granted interim protection from coercive action to Rao while directing him to cooperate with the investigation. Rao had challenged the Telangana High Court’s dismissal of his anticipatory bail plea. Meanwhile, the High Court, taking suo motu cognizance after a Deccan Chronicle report, expressed deep concern over the privacy violations.
In its ruling, the High Court noted:
“It’s a matter of great concern. As an institution, we are all troubled by it. This is not just a case of simple phone tapping; it infringes upon the Right to Privacy and is a matter of National Security.”
The alleged surveillance reportedly included not only politicians but also prominent High Court judges, including Justice Sarath Khaja.
The Allegations
According to investigation reports and confession statements from co-accused officers such as Bhujanga Rao, Rao orchestrated the illegal tapping of phones during the tenure of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government.
Earlier arrests in the case include Dugyala Praneeth Rao, a former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officer, who faced charges of illegal surveillance, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. Investigations revealed that Praneeth Rao developed profiles of “unknown persons” for monitoring purposes and illegally intercepted communications of opposition leaders and journalists.
The operation was allegedly directed by T. Prabhakar Rao, with assistance from officers including Bhujanga Rao, Mekala Tirupathanna, D. Praneeth Rao, and former Task Force DCP G. Radha Krishan Rao.
