Justice J. Sreenivas Rao of Telangana Excessive Courtroom on Friday dismissed a legal petition filed by retired IPS officer T. Prabhakar Rao, the prime accused in phone tapping case, looking for safety from arrest.

The ‘absconding officer’, whose passport had been revoked by the Union authorities lately, is presently hiding in United States of America. Whereas the INTERPOL had issued a red-corner discover looking for detention of Mr. Rao, the latter knocked the doorways of the HC looking for a course to not arrest him if he returned to India. He acknowledged within the petition that he would co-operate with the investigators on his return to India however needed an anticipatory bail.

Supreme Courtroom senior counsel Sidharth Luthra and Public Prosecutor (House) Palle Nageshwar Rao introduced arguments earlier than the bench opposing the anticipatory bail plea. Senior counsel T. Niranjan Reddy introduced contentions looking for safety from arrest to Mr. Rao within the phone tapping case.

Prabhakar Rao, who held key posts like Intelligence chief throughout the stint of BRS authorities, was serving as Particular Intelligence Department head when the Congress social gathering got here to energy in 2023 December Telangana Meeting elections. Mr. Rao, who bought superannuated by then, was on extension of service and posted as SIB chief then.

After the Congress authorities got here to energy, a legal case was registered by the Punjagutta police of Hyderabad following a criticism lodged by an to trace the actions of some individuals on the behest of the politicians in energy throughout BRS rule. Finally, 4 law enforcement officials had been arrested one after the opposite.

Based mostly on their confession, Mr. Rao was made the prime accused in what got here to be recognized finally as phone tapping case. A media particular person Shravan Kumar Rao, who was accused of aiding and abetting Prabhakar Rao, was made the sixth accused.

Nevertheless, each left the nation by then. Whereas Shravan Kumar Rao returned to India having secured an order from Supreme Courtroom to not be arrested, Prabhakar Rao filed the anticipatory bail plea within the HC.

One among his grounds was that, he also needs to be given safety from arrest akin to the order issued by the apex court docket, the State authorities counsel vehemently opposed the identical contending that interrogation of Prabhakar Rao was essential to establish how the telephones had been tapped. Referring to Prabhakar Rao’s rivalry that he was affected by most cancers and had well being points, Mr. Sidharth Luthra sought to know why the officer accepted extension of service when he was unwell.

What prevented him from showing earlier than the investigating officer of the phone tapping case when he continued as officer even after retirement from service, the counsel requested the bench.