BJP Nationwide Common Secretar BL Santosh and Ex-Telangana Chief Minister Okay Chandrasekhar Rao.
Hyderabad:
Inquiries into the Telangana phone-snooping row have thrown up one more explosive allegation – that then Chief Minister Okay Chandrasekhar Rao needed to arrest senior BJP chief BL Santosh to drive a “compromise” and “do away with the Enforcement Directorate case” towards his daughter Okay Kavitha.
The allegations have been made by ex-Deputy Commissioner of Police P Radhakrishna Rao in a six-page confession that contained damning claims, together with one which stated he “arm-twisted sure individuals creating hassle” for the previous Chief Minister and/or his relations and the ruling get together.
Mr Rao – arrested in March from his Banjara Hills Hyderabad dwelling – additionally claimed he had, on orders from the Chief Minister or his inside circle, been lively in “suppressing dissent or protest or agitation towards the BRS (then known as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, or TRS) and/or its authorities…”
READ | Telangana Telephone Faucet Case: Ex-Senior Cop’s Claims On KCR’s Function
The previous senior cop, who was additionally a member of the Hyderabad Metropolis Process Drive, stated KCR, whom he known as “peddayana” or his “elder”, would get “irritated by minor dissent or criticism”.
“Get Rid Of Case In opposition to Kavitha”
However maybe the largest flashpoint was an elaborate plot-and-counterplot drama involving the BRS’ Tandur lawmaker Panjugula “Pilot” Rohith Reddy, an alleged poaching try by the BJP, and the previous Chief Minister scheming to entrap his rivals and drive dropping of costs towards Ms Kavitha.
“… someday within the final week of October (earlier than the 2023 Meeting election), in the future Prabhakar Rao instructed me Chief Minister had data from an MLA that some individuals claiming to be influential in BJP (have been) asking him to go away BRS and be a part of (the rival get together),” Mr Rao stated in his letter.
T Prabhakar Rao was then the chief of the Particular Intelligence Department and reportedly tasked by the previous Chief Minister with operating the allegedly unlawful cellphone tapping operation. Prabhakar Rao – anticipated to return shortly from the USA – has been named as ‘Accused No 1’ within the case.
READ | Ex-Intel Chief Is Accused No 1 In Telangana Telephone Tapping Row
“KCR, pondering to make use of this to nook the BJP, had requested the Particular Intelligence Department to place surveillance over these non-public individuals (reportedly from the saffron get together) and the MLA…”
The end result was an audio tape that led to the arrest of three individuals after a ‘sting op’ on the farmhouse on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The BJP firmly denied it tried to poach any BRS legislators.
A SIT, or particular investigative crew, was set as much as ‘examine’ the BRS’ poaching claims, and it was this crew that Okay Chandrasekhar Rao reportedly needed to make use of to arrest the BJP’s BL Santosh.
Mr Santosh was named as an accused within the case however, after a keep from the Telangana Excessive Courtroom, authorities confirmed in November 2022 he wouldn’t be questioned on this matter.
Nonetheless, the unlucky, “inefficiency of some Cyberabad law enforcement officials” put a untimely finish to this operation. “The case went to the Excessive Courtroom, the place do-not-arrest orders have been issued and the case was transferred to the CBI (which stories to the centre)… pedayanna KCR was very offended.”
READ | On Alleged Poaching Of MLAs By BJP, KCR Faces Courtroom Setback
The Excessive Courtroom additionally disbanded the SIT, arguing it couldn’t guarantee an “neutral” probe.
BJP Reacts To Claims
The BJP’s Telangana chief N Ramchander Rao has hailed Mr Rao’s claims, declaring it has strengthened what the get together stated earlier – that there was a political conspiracy to lure leaders like BL Santosh.
“KCR tried to create a political conspiracy… we maintained there was no try by BJP to poach MLAs,” he instructed NDTV, and likewise criticised the alleged cellphone tapping as “unprecedented” in India.
‘Raid’ On Congress Ballot Strategist
In the meantime, Mr Rao additionally made sensational claims about ‘raids’ towards Sunil Kanugolu, who orchestrated the Congress’ thumping win over the BJP within the 2023 Karnataka Meeting election.
Months earlier than that election, in December, Mr Kanugolu reportedly made posts criticising KCR and his get together. These posts prompted unlawful snooping and a raid on his Cyberabad workplace.
READ | Sunil Kanugolu, Knowledge-Pushed Strategist In Congress’ Karnataka Win
“I have no idea what occurred to that case… or digital devices seized… but it surely grew to become an enormous situation, saying the raid was carried out to impede the work of Congress get together leaders by illegally seizing units to get confidential information associated to the get together and its leaders and supporters,” Mr Rao claimed.
What Is Telangana Telephone Tapping Case?
The Telangana cellphone tapping case entails the alleged gathering of digital information not only for political intelligence, however to blackmail leaders, and even non-public corporations and Tollywood celebrities.
Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed NDTV all this occurred with the data of the management of the earlier Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) authorities. “It’s only a matter of time earlier than they (BRS) leaders come beneath the ambit of the investigation,” Mr Reddy stated.
READ | These Concerned In Telephone Tapping Will Be Jailed, Warns Revanth Reddy
A number of different Telangana law enforcement officials are being investigated in reference to this case.
The listing of people whose units have been reportedly monitored embrace Congress chief and present Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. As many as one lakh cellphone calls have been reportedly tapped.
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