Telangana phone-tapping case: Police detain BRS workers protesting KCR

Police detained BRS party workers in Telangana protesting against the SIT questioning of former CM K Chandrashekar Rao in a phone-tapping case. KCR, who was issued fresh notices, agreed to be questioned by the team at his Hyderabad residence.

BRS Workers Detained Amid Protests

Police detained Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Party workers who were staging a protest against the Telangana state government over the Special Investigation Team (SIT) questioning of BRS Chief and former Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), in connection with the phone-tapping case. Police detained BRS Party workers who staged a protest wearing black badges against the Telangana state government, expressing dissent over the SIT summons issued to KCR.

Several BRS Party workers were detained in Warangal during similar demonstrations across the state, underscoring the party's opposition to questioning its chief.

KCR Faces SIT Questioning

BRS Chief KCR on Sunday left his Erravalli farmhouse and headed to his Hyderabad residence to participate in questioning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the phone-tapping case.

On January 30, the SIT probing the phone-tapping case issued fresh notices to KCR.

Several BRS leaders, including KCR's son, KT Rama Rao, and nephew, T. Harish Rao, were earlier questioned in connection with the case.

A heavy police presence was deployed at KCR's Nandi Nagar residence in Hyderabad ahead of the scheduled 3 pm questioning.

KCR's Response to Summons

KCR wrote to P Venkatagiri, Assistant Commissioner of Police, asserting that he would be available at 3 pm for questioning.

He said in his letter dated January 30, 2026: "The alleged letter dated 30.1.2026 is not served as required by law, and the same is illegal, and I can simply ignore the same. Further, such service violates my dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and Article 14 of the Constitution of India."

He added, "Notwithstanding the above legal position, I being a former Chief Minister for the State of Telangana and present Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and also as a responsible citizen of this country in order to assist the department in the investigation of the subject crime, I would be available for my examination at 3 pm on 01.02.2026 at Nandi Nagar residence as you are keen to record my statement there only."

Case Background

The phone-tapping case came to light after former DCP P Radhakrishna Rao alleged that telephones of media personalities, retired cops, and politicians were monitored during the BRS government tenure to track KCR's political rivals. (ANI)

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