Telangana SIT summons former BRS MP Santosh today in ‘phone-tapping’ case

Hyderabad: After questioning senior BRS leaders, including party working president K T Rama Rao, the special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged phone tapping case has summoned former BRS Rajya Sabha MP Joginapally Santosh Kumar for questioning.The SIT served a notice to Santosh on Monday afternoon, asking him to appear before it at Jubilee Hills police station at 3 pm on Tuesday. "You (Santosh) are requested to appear in person before the undersigned for examination for the purpose of further investigation upon receipt of this notice on Jan 27 in the office of ACP (Jubilee Hills)," investigation officer P Venkatagiri said in the notice. Santosh is widely believed to be a close confidant of BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao. His summoning has added to political interest around the investigation, even as police have not so far named any political leader from the BRS as an accused in the case. Over the past 10 days, the SIT has intensified the probe by summoning senior BRS leaders, including Siddipet MLA Harish Rao and KTR. They were questioned on issues related to the alleged phone tapping, illegal surveillance, targeted cash seizures, extortion linked to electoral bonds and other allegations. After recording their statements as witnesses, the SIT let them off. The alleged phone tapping case pertains to claims that during the previous BRS govt, phones of opposition leaders, businessmen and other individuals were illegally monitored by officials of the Special Intelligence Bureau. The SIT is investigating accusations of unauthorised surveillance, misuse of intelligence machinery and related financial and electoral irregularities. So far, six persons have been named as accused in the case, including five police officers—three serving and two retired—while the role of political leaders is being examined as part of the ongoing probe.