KCR should be named as main accused in phone tapping case: BJP

Former BJP MLA demands Telangana Government to probe phone tapping since state inception, implicating KCR and senior officials.

Former BJP MLA and Medak Lok Sabha candidate M. Raghunandan Rao, on Tuesday, demanded Telangana Government to probe into the phone tapping from the inception of separate Telangana state and investigate the role of all the DGPs since then. Such orders cannot be carried out without instructions from the then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Hence, KCR should be the first accused, he maintained.

Addressing a press conference at the state party office in Hyderabad, Mr. Rao said that the phone tapping investigation should be done from June 2, 2014 onwards including the ‘vote for note’ case under which the present Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was sent to jail by the previous regime. And all those found guilty should be punished.

Stating that the senior officers involved in the ‘vote for note’ episode continue to hold key positions including the present intelligence department chief (B. Shivadhar Reddy , TSRTC MD (V.C. Sajjanar) and as TSPSC chairman (M. Mahender Reddy), he pointed out and charged that when he had brought the issue of phone tapping during the Dubbak and Munugode bypolls, the then DGP sought “proof”.

The BJP leader urged the Congress MLAs – Vivek Venkatswamy and Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy to speak up about a full fledged probe into the illegal phone tapping and also file complaints as they too have been at the receiving end during the BRS regime.

“Why is Mr. Revanth Reddy not keen on the 2015 phone tapping incident and calling for probe from 2016? Why have the names of BRS MP candidate Venkatram Reddy or ex-Minister Harish Rao not called for questioning in the issue? This appears to be clear cut case of Congress Party and BRS party having an underhand deal for the Lok Sabha polls,” he charged.

In another press meet, legislature party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy has accused the Congress Government of not taking action against the previous regime for the controversial ‘Dharani’ revenue portal and that no proper investigation - CBI or judicial, or a forensic audit was being done on the illegal transfer of various lands including endowments, forest or ‘bhoodan’ land in the last 10 years.

BRS leaders allegedly involved in such deals, including a former Mayor and a few MPs, have now joined the ruling party raising doubts about the ongoing investigations. “There is a clear effort to save KCR and KTR in the land scams. We will take it up with the Central Government and will not allow the case to be diluted as crores of rupees have been diverted and misused,” he added.