Phone-tapping case: SIT notice to Congress leader Manavatha Roy

he infamous phone-tapping case was registered on March 10, 2024, under the provisions of the then Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Information Technology Act.

Hyderabad: SIT officials issued notices to senior Congress leader Dr Koturi Manavatha Roy on Thursday, August 20, evening, in connection with the phone-tapping case.

The notice directs him to appear for questioning, in his capacity as a victim of phone-tapping, at the old Hyderabad Police Commissionerate office in Bashirbagh at 1 pm on Friday.

The infamous phone-tapping case was registered on March 10, 2024, under the provisions of the then Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Information Technology Act, three months after Congress returned to power in the state, at Punjagutta Police Station.

The case alleged that officials of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) had systematically tapped the phones of politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, journalists and even judges during the BRS regime, including that of then-Opposition leader and current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Chargesheet named 6 accused

A chargesheet filed in June 2024 named six: former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao, Deputy Superintendent of Police D Praneeth Rao, Additional Superintendents N Bhujanga Rao and M Thirupathanna, former task force officer on special duty P Radha Kishan Rao, and businessman A Shravan Kumar.

Of these, Praneeth Rao, Thirupathanna, Bhujanga Rao, and Radhakishan Rao were arrested and are currently in custody. Prabhakar Rao and Shravan Kumar had fled to the United States. Rao surrendered in December 2025 and was questioned by the SIT for over eight hours.

Among those who have already appeared before the SIT are former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR), former minister T Harish Rao and former Rajya Sabha member J Santosh Kumar.