Hyderabad: The Telangana government intensified the probe into the phone tapping case by forming a new Special Investigation Team under Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar.
Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy issued orders on Thursday constituting a nine-member SIT to speed up the investigation. Therefore, officials said the move aimed to complete the probe quickly and file the chargesheet at the earliest.
The new SIT included Ramagundam Police Commissioner Amber Kishore Jha and Siddipet Commissioner S M Vijay Kumar. In addition, senior officers Ritiraj and K Narayana Reddy were named as members.
Jubilee Hills Assistant Commissioner of Police P Venkategiri continued as the investigating officer. Meanwhile, the DGP directed the SIT to complete the investigation without delay.
Phone tapping case probe gains momentum after key surrender
The government formed the new SIT a week after former Special Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakar Rao surrendered before the SIT on June 12. He surrendered following directions from the Supreme Court.
Investigators identified Prabhakar Rao as the prime accused in the phone tapping case. The case alleged that a team led by him illegally tapped phones of political leaders, businesspersons, journalists, and even judges.
The issue surfaced in March this year after police arrested former DSP D Praneeth Rao. Subsequently, police arrested several other officers linked to the case.
Officials said the formation of a new SIT with senior officers marked a key development. As a result, they expected faster progress in the phone tapping case investigation.