The Supreme Court of India on Friday delivered a significant order in the high-profile illegal phone tapping case from Telangana, extending the police custody of the prime accused, former state Intelligence Chief T Prabhakar Rao, by one week. The bench, however, provided him crucial interim protection from any coercive action starting from his release date until the next hearing in January 2026.
Custody Extended with Conditions for Relief
A division bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan directed that Rao be released from custody on December 26. The court mandated that no coercive measures can be taken against him from that date until the matter is taken up again in January 2026. This protection is conditional and hinges on Rao's full cooperation with the investigating authorities whenever he is summoned.
Rao had surrendered before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on December 12, following a Supreme Court order issued a day earlier. Since his surrender, he has been undergoing custodial interrogation concerning his alleged role in the unauthorized surveillance of political figures, judges, and other prominent individuals during the previous state government's tenure.
Clashing Arguments in the Apex Court
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the State of Telangana, submitted a status report on the probe. They strongly advocated for an extension of police custody, accusing Rao of providing only "paper cooperation" and deliberately withholding crucial evidence vital to the investigation.
Opposing this plea, Rao's legal team argued that their client was being subjected to exhaustive interrogation sessions stretching from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm daily, which they labeled as "harassment" aimed at extracting a self-incriminating statement. The defense also raised serious concerns about Rao's deteriorating health, alleging that the state was attempting to "break him down" to justify political statements made by the current Chief Minister of Telangana.
Court's Balanced Order and Probe Developments
While the bench rejected the defense's request for an immediate end to custody, it balanced its decision to extend the interrogation period by ordering that Rao must be allowed access to his necessary medication and home-cooked food during the remaining custody period.
This legal development coincides with the Telangana government's recent move to constitute a fresh nine-member SIT, to be supervised by Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, with the objective of fast-tracking the investigation into the illegal surveillance scandal.
