Former BRS MLA Lingaiah appears before police in phone-tapping case

Hyderabad, Nov 14 (IANS) Former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah on Thursday appeared before the police in the phone tapping case.

In response to the notice issued by the police, the BRS leader appeared before the investigating officer at the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jubilee Hills Division and his statement was recorded.

The BRS leader was reportedly questioned about new evidence that came to light in the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report. The evidence showed that there was an alleged line of communication between him and a case accused - suspended Additional Superintendent of Police Mekala Thirupathanna.

The FSL report revealed that some politicians, reportedly connected to the BRS, sent the phone numbers of a few individuals to the accused in the case. At the time of filing the charge sheet, the police had not received the FSL report. Based on the FSL reports, police are summoning more people for examination. Recently, during the hearing of a bail petition filed by Thirupathanna in the Telangana High Court, the Public Prosecutor told the court that Lingaiah had been in contact with the accused, adding that they got to know about this only after police received FSL reports.

Talking to reporters after coming out of the ACP office, Lingaiah denied any involvement in phone tapping and said he was asked about his telephone conversation with Thirupathana.

The former MLA from Nekrekal in Nalgonda district said he told officials that while it was a fact that he spoke to Thirupathanna, this does not mean that he was involved in phone tapping. He said as a political leader, he speaks to officials. He alleged that the Congress government was trying to confine him to his house by threatening him with notices. He, however, said he would appear before the investigating officer if he was summoned as he respects the law.

Police had directed Lingaiah to appear on November 11. He, however, skipped the appearance on health grounds and sought more time.

The phone-tapping allegations under the previous government of BRS came to light in March with the arrest of the Special Intelligence Branch's (SIB) former DSP Praneeth Rao following a complaint from his superior, Additional SP D. Ramesh. Then SIB chiefg, T. Prabhakar Rao had allegedly constituted a team within SIB with his trusted aides including Praneeth Rao for surveillance of rival political leaders and their families and dissidents within the ruling party.

The police have so far named six accused. While Praneeth Rao, Thirupathanna, former DCP P. Radha Kishan Rao, and suspended Additional Superintendent of Police Bhujanga Rao are in judicial custody, Prabhakar Rao and A. Sravan Kumar, the CEO of a vernacular TV channel, are absconding.