Etala demands CBI probe in tapping case
Hyderabad: Malkajgiri BJP MP Etala Rajender told the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone tapping case during the BRS government’s tenure that that his phone, as well as those of his family members, personal secretary and assistants, were tapped.
“The surveillance began in 2018 and intensified during key political moments like the 2021 Huzurabad bypoll and the 2023 Assembly elections. They tracked our movements, including where we halted during election campaigns,” Rajendar said. The SIT recorded Rajender’s statement for around 90 minutes at Jubilee Hills police station.
He demanded to know on whose instructions the former SIB chief had ordered the surveillance of political leaders.
After recording his statement, Rajender addressed the media, calling the phone tapping an “emergency-like violation of rules and abuse of power.” He said, “They showed me a list of messages exchanged between me and my wife. They also presented data on my movements during the Huzurabad bypoll, which I confirmed.”
He condemned the interception of private conversations between him and his wife, terming it “absolutely disgusting,” and demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI. Rajender alleged that the key accused — T. Prabhakar Rao, G. Praneeth Rao, Bhujanga Rao, Tirupatanna and Shravan Rao and others — acted on the orders of senior officials. He noted that Prabhakar Rao, who is not a direct IPS officer, was given a crucial role and was reinstated in the same wing even after retirement.
