The Supreme Court of India has extended the police custody of former Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao until December 25 in the high-profile illegal phone tapping case. The court ordered that Rao be released on December 26 after interrogation and barred any coercive action against him until the next hearing scheduled for January 2026.
Court's Order and Custody Details
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan issued the order on Friday. The court mandated that Rao must fully cooperate with the investigating authorities whenever summoned. Rao had surrendered before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on December 12 as per the apex court's earlier direction and has remained in custody since for questioning regarding his alleged role in the unauthorized surveillance.
During the hearing, the Telangana government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, submitted a status report on the investigation. They sought an extension of custody, arguing that Rao was only providing "paper cooperation" and was suppressing crucial evidence vital to the probe.
Allegations and Defence's Counter-Arguments
The case revolves around serious accusations that Rao and other SIB officials illegally monitored the phones of political leaders, judges, and prominent citizens during the previous BRS government's tenure. The alleged targets included the then Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief and current Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, and his family members.
Opposing the custody extension, Rao's legal team contended that their client was being subjected to exhaustive daily interrogation sessions from 10 am to 10 pm, which they labeled as "harassment." They argued the process was designed to extract a self-incriminating statement.
The defence raised significant concerns about Rao's health, stating that the 69-year-old is a cancer survivor. They alleged the state was attempting to "break him down" to politically validate the Chief Minister's public statements. "Their only endeavour is to prove true what the CM has announced," Rao's counsels argued, noting that he is not accused of a violent crime like murder.
Court's Balanced Ruling and Probe Status
The Supreme Court bench, while rejecting the plea for immediate release, balanced its order by permitting Rao access to necessary medication and home-cooked food during his custody period. This directive acknowledges the health concerns raised by his defence.
In a related development, the Telangana government reconstituted the SIT on December 18 to accelerate the investigation. The new nine-member team is operating under the supervision of Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar. The defence highlighted this expansion, expressing concern that a larger set of officers would now question Rao sequentially.
The Supreme Court's order sets the stage for continued intense scrutiny of the case, which has become a major political and legal issue in Telangana, probing alleged abuses of state surveillance machinery.
