Hyderabad: After 14 months abroad, former SIB Chief and the main accused in the sensational phone tapping case, Prabhakar Rao, finally returned to Hyderabad on Sunday evening. His arrival sets the stage for a crucial round of questioning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the politically charged scandal that rocked the state last year.
Prabhakar Rao, who was booked on March 10 last year, had left for the United States the very next day, citing cancer treatment. He never returned until now. Sources said he arrived on an Emirates flight via Dubai, touching down at Shamshabad Airport around 8.30 pm. Immigration formalities reportedly took over three hours before SIT officers whisked him away for security reasons.
His passport, which had earlier been revoked as part of the investigation, was restored after the Supreme Court directed the government to allow his return. Following the court’s order, Indian authorities issued him an emergency travel document, allowing him to make a one-time entry into the country. The SIT, which had recently shifted its operations to the West Zone DCP office, chose to question him on the second floor of the Jubilee Hills Police Station to avoid the media glare expected outside its main office.
Investigators plan to grill Prabhakar Rao on several fronts, including whether the phone tapping was carried out officially, who authorised it, and – if it was unauthorised – whose instructions he was following. Sources indicated that his statement would be video-recorded as part of the investigation. He is expected to appear before the SIT at 11 am on Monday, with a detailed questionnaire already prepared for the session.
Other police officers arrested in the case – including former Task Force OSD Radhakishan Rao, ex-Additional SPs Bhujanga Rao and Tirupatanna, and former DSP Praneeth Rao – have all reportedly told investigators that they acted on Prabhakar Rao’s instructions. This has made his testimony a key piece of the puzzle for the SIT.
In an unusual twist, as soon as Prabhakar Rao landed, a customs officer greeted him – a move that has now sparked a controversy. City police sources revealed that they are preparing a complaint against the customs official, arguing that it is illegal for an on-duty officer to welcome an accused person at the airport.
The phone tapping case had triggered a political storm across the country, with allegations of widespread illegal surveillance rattling the state’s law enforcement agencies. As the SIT gears up to confront the main accused, all eyes are now on Monday’s proceedings to see whether Prabhakar Rao’s statement will shed new light on the high-profile scandal.