Another Phone-Tapping Case Emerges In Telangana, Former BRS Minister Arrested By Hyderabad Police

Senior Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader T Harish Rao was detained by Hyderabad police on Thursday (5 December) morning in connection with a phone-tapping case registered against him earlier.

Harish Rao, a former minister in the K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)-led government and the nephew of the former Telangana Chief Minister, was apprehended based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed against him.

The 1 December FIR was registered on a complaint by G Chakradhar Goud, a real estate businessman from Siddipet currently residing in Bachupally, Hyderabad, Indian Express reported.

When officers from the Banjara Hills police station went to take Rao into custody, BRS MLA P Kaushik Reddy was with him, who along with his supporters argued with the police.

Subsequently, Reddy and 20 supporters were also booked for creating a disturbance.

Rao is accused of orchestrating threats to the life of Goud, who founded the Farmers First Foundation to aid distressed farmers and their families.

Goud alleged in his complaint at the Panjagutta police station that his initiative had triggered political rivalry with Rao due to growing grassroots support in Siddipet.

He further claimed his phones were being monitored. This prompted authorities to initiate legal action against the senior BRS leader.

Various cases of phone-tapping during the KCR regime have emerged including allegations of tapping the phones of opposition leaders including BJP leader B L Santhosh and current CM A Revanth Reddy.