Telangana Phone-Tapping Case: BRS Leader KTR Summoned By SIT For Further Questioning

Hyderabad: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged phone tapping case, served a notice to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao on Thursday (January 21). He has been summoned to appear before it at 11 AM, Friday. 

This comes three days after the questioning of former minister and senior BRS MLA T. Harish Rao, who was questioned for over 7 hours at the Jubilee Hills police station. Heavy police deployment was made in and around the Jubilee Hills ACP office ahead of his appearance. "During the course of investigation, it has come to the notice of the Investigating Officer that you are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the said case, and your personal examination is necessary for the purpose of investigation," said the notice under section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). 

KT Rao received the SIT notice at his place of residence in Nandinagar. The SIT, led by Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar, has summoned KTR based on the information and statements gathered so far in the phone-tapping case that reportedly took place during the BRS tenure. “Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, you are hereby directed to appear in person before the undersigned Investigating Officer on January 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, for examination in connection with the investigation. Please note that failure to comply with this notice without lawful excuse shall entail action as per law,” the official notice added. 

Before entering the office, Harish Rao had told reporters that the notice summoning him was politically motivated. He alleged it was issued after the BRS exposed alleged irregularities involving Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his relatives. Following the notice to KTR, another BRS leader, Manne Krishank, referred to the phone-tapping case as “webseries of the Revanth Reddy-led government”. He also said that the SIT notices to the BRS leaders have come as an attempt to divert attention from the coal scam, failure of governance, and undelivered promises by the ruling party in the state. 

Until now, the police had named six people, including the then Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T. Prabhakar Rao, in this case. However, no political leaders were summoned or named previously. The new nine-member SIT was formed in December 2025 under VC Sajjanar, nearly 21 months after the case was registered, to intensify the probe and fast-track the case. 

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