Hyderabad: BRS MLA T Harish Rao, in white, arrives to appear before the SIT of Telangana Police as part of enquiry into the phone tapping case, at Jubilee Hills Police Station, in Hyderabad, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (PTI Photo)
Hyderabad: A day after BRS MLA and ex-minister T Harish Rao was quizzed for 8 hours for the phone-tapping case, Hyderabad police commissioner VC Sajjanar requested the public to not believe, propagate or circulate any false information about Harish Rao being examined despite an order from the Supreme Court quashing a case against Rao.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Harish Rao was on Tuesday, January 12, questioned for eight hours by the Telangana Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone-tapping case, in which the former minister is an accused. The case against him was dismissed by the Telangana High Court, and this was upheld by the SC after the state government filed a plea against the HC order.
“In continuation of the further investigation in Crime No. 243 of 2024 (illegal phone tapping case) of Panjagutta Police Station, Sri T. Harish Rao, former Minister and MLA, Siddipet was summoned before the Investigation Officer at Jubilee Hills Police Station on January 20, 2026, and examined in detail. He was allowed to leave early due to his son’s scheduled flight later in the evening,” said the Hyderabad police commissioner in a statement.
Sajjanar added that considering the request, the SIT concluded the examination for the day. Harish Rao has been “clearly instructed not to contact, influence, or interfere with any witnesses connected with the investigation”. The Hyderabad police commissioner stated that he may be summoned again for further examination, if required. Rao had served in the cabinet as irrigation and finance minister during the previous BRS government from 2014-23.
The Phone Tapping case pertains to serious allegations of unauthorized and illegal surveillance, monitoring, and interception of phone calls of politicians and others during the previous BRS government.
The investigation began around 11 am at the Jubilee Hills Assistant Commissioner of Police’s office amid high tension as BRS leaders protested against advocates not being allowed to enter the premises. According to Eenadu, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Venkatagiri and Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravinder Reddy were part of the interrogation.
Rao left the SIT office around 7 pm after the investigation concluded and departed for Telangana Bhavan, the office of the BRS.
This post was last modified on January 21, 2026 7:14 am