Former SIB Chief Prabhakar Rao appears before SIT in phone tapping case

Hyderabad: Former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) Chief Prabhakar Rao appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday, June 9, 2025, in connection with the phone tapping case.

Prabhakar Rao returned to Hyderabad on Sunday night after spending over 14 months in the United States. He arrived at 8:20 p.m. via an Emirates flight from Dubai, using an emergency travel document. The SIT is questioning him at the Jubilee Hills Police Station, where his statement is being recorded.

This is the first time Prabhakar Rao has appeared before the SIT since the investigation began. He is listed as Accused No. 1 in the case, which was registered at the Punjagutta Police Station.

The SIT has already arrested four individuals in connection with the case, and they are Praneeth Rao, Radhakishan Rao, Bhujanga Rao, and Tirupatanna. Based on the information they provided, the SIT is now questioning Prabhakar Rao. Officials said additional rounds of questioning may follow depending on the details that emerge.

Prabhakar Rao left for the United States around the time the case was registered. When he did not return, police initiated steps to cancel his passport. Following directions from the Supreme Court, he agreed to cooperate with the investigation and returned to the city.