New Delhi, June 2, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India on Thursday granted interim protection from coercive action to T Prabhakar Rao, former chief of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Telangana, who has been named a key accused in the ongoing phone-tapping case during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime.
A bench comprising Justice B V Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma directed Rao to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the investigating officer. The court also instructed authorities to facilitate the release of his passport, currently revoked, to enable his travel back to India, as he is suspected to be residing in the United States.
Accusations Against T Prabhakar Rao in the Telangana Phone-Tapping Case
Rao is alleged to have played a central role in a widespread illegal surveillance operation, where approximately 1,200 individuals were reportedly kept under constant electronic surveillance by misusing the services of around 50 Special Operations Team (SOT) personnel during the BRS-led administration.
The surveillance operation, now under criminal investigation, allegedly involved the unauthorised profiling of citizens from diverse sectors and the politically motivated use of intelligence resources, including illegal phone tapping and monitoring of individuals without judicial approval.
A Red Corner Notice had been issued against Rao, and his passport was revoked as part of the investigation. The apex court, however, allowed his plea for limited relief, subject to strict conditions.
Conditions Imposed by the Supreme Court
The court granted interim relief on the anticipatory bail plea filed by Rao, which was argued by Senior Advocate Dama Sashadri Naidu. Rao was ordered to submit an undertaking that he would return to India within three days of receiving his passport.
The plea was strongly opposed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the Telangana government, who argued against granting any relief due to the seriousness of the allegations.
The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing for August 5, 2025, and has sought a detailed status report on the progress of the investigation from the state government by the next date.
The court also clarified that the question regarding the maintainability of the anticipatory bail plea would be decided at a later stage.
High Court and Lower Court Proceedings
Rao approached the Supreme Court after the Telangana High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition. On May 22, 2025, a Hyderabad trial court issued a proclamation order against him in connection with the case, warning that he may be declared a “proclaimed offender” if he fails to appear by June 20.
Arrests and Allegations Against Other SIB Officials
The investigation into the phone-tapping scandal has led to the arrest of at least four police officers, including Suspended DSP Dugyala Pranith Rao, since March 2024. The arrested officers were accused of:
- Illegally tapping phones,
- Destroying digital evidence by erasing data from official devices,
- Clandestinely monitoring individuals for political gain,
- And unauthorised development of surveillance profiles.
These accused officials were later granted bail, but remain under investigation for alleged misuse of the Special Intelligence Bureau’s powers and infrastructure.
The scandal has raised serious concerns regarding privacy violations, abuse of state machinery for political purposes, and destruction of evidence to obstruct justice.
