Hyderabad: Former Telangana Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao, a prime accused in the phone tapping case appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday.

The SIT at the Jubilee Hills Police Station interrogated and recorded his statement. Prabhakar returned to Hyderabad on Sunday after spending nearly 15 months in the United States. This was the first time he has appeared before the SIT since the inquiry began, in the phone tapping case. He was listed as the primary accused in the case registered in the Panjagutta police station.

SIT officials indicated that this initial round of questioning could be followed by additional sessions, depending on the information and leads obtained during the inquiry.

Prabhakar had left for the US just before the case was registered against him. The SIT had issued notices to him to appear before it. As he failed to return and appear before the SIT, he was declared an absconder, a red corner notice was issued against him and his passport was also revoked.

However, the Supreme Court on May 29 directed authorities to arrange an emergency travel document to enable Prabhakar Rao to return.

A bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma had passed the order on a petition by Prabhakar, challenging the Telangana High Court order dismissing his petition for anticipatory bail. The bench also barred police from taking any coercive step against him till further orders.

On the Supreme Court’s direction, he gave an undertaking that he would return to India soon after receiving an emergency travel document and cooperate with the investigation.

The SIT had earlier arrested four officers – G Praneeth Rao, P Radha Kishan Rao, N Bhuganja Rao, and M Tirupathanna and questioned them in the case.