Karimnagar (Telangana): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Saturday launched a scathing attack on former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), accusing him of orchestrating widespread phone tapping during his tenure.
Addressing the media in Karimnagar, Sanjay alleged that the phone tapping scandal has deeply affected the lives of many individuals across political and administrative circles.
“Phone tapping took place at Sircilla Centre, and everyone knows who is behind it,” Sanjay said, pointing fingers at former Intelligence Chief Prabhakar Rao. He labelled Rao a “vile man” who, he claimed, tapped the phones of several BJP leaders, including himself, as well as Congress leaders like Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy, and even judges, IAS and IPS officers.
Sanjay claimed that KCR’s “inherent suspicion” led him to order surveillance on members of his own party. “If judges’ phones were tapped, there must be a CBI inquiry,” he demanded.
Recalling that the Congress party once called for a similar probe, he questioned their silence now. “Why has the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) not issued a notice to KCR even after Radhakishan Rao testified that phone tapping was done on KCR’s orders?” he asked.
He alleged that the current Congress government is hesitating to act against KCR and his son K T Rama Rao (KTR), hinting at a “secret agreement” between the Congress and BRS. “Why the delay in issuing notices to KCR and KTR? What is the compromise between the two parties?” he questioned.
Sanjay further claimed that 109 cases were filed against him by the previous BRS government and accused Prabhakar Rao of misusing the Chief Minister’s Office to conduct illegal surveillance. He recounted an incident where he was allegedly arrested at midnight in connection with a Hindi exam paper leak, at the behest of Rao.
He also alleged that media personnel were not spared and were forced to use encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Signal to communicate securely. “Even WhatsApp calls were being tapped. That’s how deep this went,” he said.
He pointed out the timing of KTR’s departure to the U.S. and Prabhakar Rao’s return from America, suggesting a coordinated move to avoid scrutiny. “Isn’t it true that KTR flew to the U.S. just before Prabhakar Rao returned to India and surrendered?” he asked.
Bandi Sanjay reiterated that it was the BJP that unseated the BRS from power and rejected any speculation of an understanding between the two parties. “If we had a deal with BRS, why would we continue this fight? We are fully prepared for a CBI inquiry,” he declared.
Sanjay asserted that if the Centre had the jurisdiction for a direct probe, the accused in the phone tapping case would already be behind bars.
