Phone Tapping: BRS leaders to knock at Guv’s door to complain against CM

Hyderabad: Leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) announced plans to approach Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to highlight alleged phone tapping activities within Telangana. The party claims that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, with assistance from the central BJP leadership, is not only tapping the phones of BRS leaders but also those of his own cabinet colleagues.

During a press conference at the party’s Telangana Bhavan office, BRS leader RS Praveen Kumar and others demanded an inquiry into the allegations by a sitting judge of the High Court. Praveen Kumar specifically accused Revanth Reddy of tapping the phones of key BRS figures and members of his own cabinet. He cited an instance where Revanth Reddy reportedly knew about a casual conversation between two ministers through tapping, subsequently questioning one of them about it. Praveen Kumar noted that as Chief Minister and Home Minister, all alleged phone tapping falls under Revanth Reddy’s purview. He further alleged that the BJP at the Centre was also involved in tapping the phones of BRS and Congress leaders in the state, claiming Revanth Reddy’s actions are supported by the BJP.

The BRS leader further alleged that the Chief Minister reprimanded a journalist stationed in New Delhi for speaking to party leader T Harish Rao over the phone. Praveen Kumar questioned how Revanth Reddy could have known about the conversation if phone tapping was not involved. He also raised concerns about the ongoing phone tapping case (Panjagutta PS 243 case), stating he received a notice on 14 July, yet a Telugu newspaper reported it on 7 July. This, he argued, suggests premature leaking of investigation details.

Praveen Kumar also voiced suspicions about the involvement of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Revanth Reddy’s alleged phone tapping, and suggested that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s phone might also be under surveillance by Revanth Reddy. The BRS demanded that the government submit a sealed list to the High Court detailing whose phones are being tapped. They also called for a committee, comprising the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, a High Court judge, and relevant officials, to monitor phone tapping in accordance with the Telegraph Act. Praveen Kumar highlighted Section 5 of the Telegraph Act, which permits phone tapping only if unavoidable in the interest of national security.

Praveen Kumar reiterated the BRS’s demand for an investigation by a sitting High Court judge into the phone tapping allegations.