Hyderabad: T Prabhakar Rao, once the head of Telangana’s Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), is in a fix after US government’s denial of his appeal for political asylum.
Rao is accused of running a vast illegal phone tapping program while in office in the erstwhile Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, and he is now facing increasing pressure to come back to India to face trial.
Phone tapping row
The phone tapping scandal broke out in March 2024 when it was alleged that top SIB officials, led by Rao, carried out illicit eavesdropping on political rivals, journalists, and even judges.
The operation was supposedly meant to help the then-governing BRS party win the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections.
Investigations showed that intercepted communications were employed to keep track of and possibly destabilise opposition leaders, including the current chief minister A Revanth Reddy.
Six people were implicated in the case, of whom Rao is the chief accused. While four of the accused were arrested and eventually let out on bail, Rao and media professional N Shravan Kumar escaped the country prior to the filing of the case. Both are now said to be living in the United States.
Legal actions and international pursuit
After Rao failed to appear despite multiple notices, the Nampally court in Hyderabad issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against him in May 2024. Later, the court began the process of making him a declared offender, ordering him to appear before the investigating officer on or before June 20, 2025. Non-appearance could result in the attachment of his properties and other legal actions.
According to reports, Interpol has released a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Rao, which will enable his possible arrest and extradition from the US India’s nodal agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has passed on this notice to international agencies, including the US authorities.
Telangana Police have officially sought Rao’s deportation via the American embassy, highlighting the gravity of the charges against him.
Rao’s defense and legal maneuvers
Rao has repeatedly refuted the charges, stating that the cases against him were politically motivated. Rao had petitioned in the US for recognition as a political refugee, alleging that the accusations were part of a political vendetta. The US government did not accept his asylum petition.
In India, Rao moved for anticipatory bail before the Telangana High Court, contending that he had no direct proof against him except confessional evidence of co-accused people. He pointed out his willing cooperation during the course of investigation and mentioned his impeccable service record.
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