KCR’s Name At The Centre Of Phone Tapping Probe?

The Telangana phone-tapping case could trigger a fresh political confrontation, with a news report on October 28 stating that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is preparing an additional chargesheet naming former chief minister KCR as the prime accused.

BRS working president KTR, former minister Harish Rao and MLC K. Naveen are also expected to be named, according to the report, which cites government sources. The additional chargesheet would expand the investigation beyond the police officials already accused in the case. However, the report describes a planned filing, and it remains unclear whether it has been formally submitted to the court.

Investigators are reportedly examining alleged approvals for surveillance at the highest levels of the previous government, along with witness statements and technical evidence. The allegations involving KTR and Naveen reportedly include a realtor’s claim that he was coerced into donating ₹13 crore through electoral bonds. Harish Rao is linked in the report to allegations of surveillance directed at his political rivals. These claims remain allegations and have not been established as findings of guilt.

How the case began

The case came to light in March 2024, following the change of government in Telangana. The investigation centres on the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), the state’s intelligence unit responsible, among other things, for gathering intelligence on Maoist activity. Police alleged that its surveillance capabilities were used to monitor people beyond legitimate intelligence requirements, including politicians, businesspeople, journalists and their associates.

Investigators also examined the alleged destruction of electronic records at the SIB office after the BRS lost power. Former police officer D. Praneeth Rao was accused of destroying or replacing hard disks containing intelligence data. Reports have cited investigators’ claims that hundreds of phone numbers monitored by the unit were unrelated to Left-Wing Extremism, raising questions about whether surveillance was used for political purposes.

Who has been named?

The original case named six accused: former SIB chief T. Prabhakar Rao, DSP D. Praneeth Rao, former additional superintendents of police M. Thirupathanna and N. Bhujanga Rao, former Task Force officer P. Radhakishan Rao, and television channel operator A. Shravan Kumar Rao. Their alleged roles differ, involving the supervision, execution or operational support of surveillance.

KCR’s proposed inclusion would shift the focus towards the political leadership of the former government. He was questioned by the SIT in February 2026 about his alleged role in authorising the operation and his relationship with Prabhakar Rao. Being questioned, however, does not establish criminal responsibility.

A potential political confrontation

For the Congress government, the investigation raises questions about accountability for the alleged misuse of state intelligence machinery. For the BRS, the central issue is whether investigators can establish a direct link between the surveillance operation and decisions made by its political leadership.

If the additional chargesheet is filed as reported, the case could become a more prominent political issue, placing the former chief minister and senior BRS leaders under greater legal and public scrutiny. But evidence that surveillance occurred does not automatically prove who ordered it or whether every leader named was involved.

What has the BRS said?

The BRS has repeatedly dismissed the allegations against its leadership as politically motivated. When KCR appeared before the SIT in February, KTR described the case as “silly, frivolous and bogus”. He maintained that his father had denied illegal phone tapping and answered investigators’ questions.

In the October 28 report, an unnamed senior BRS leader alleged that the move to name KCR was intended to divert attention from the Congress government’s performance, including its handling of water utilisation amid El Niño concerns. However, no fresh, direct statement from KCR, KTR or Harish Rao specifically responding to the proposed additional chargesheet was confirmed in the reports available on October 28.

The next key development will be the formal filing of the additional chargesheet and the evidence it contains. Until then, the reported move remains a development attributed to government sources. The court proceedings will determine whether the allegations can be substantiated.