14-day judicial remand for former DCP Radhakishan Rao

Hyderabad: The Nampally Court on Friday remanded former DCP Radhakishan Rao to 14 days of judicial remand in the illegal phone tapping case. He was detained following intensive interrogation.

Radhakishan Rao, a retired DCP of the Hyderabad Task Force and subsequently an OSD, faced allegations that he and his team carried out unauthorised operations at the field level based on the information provided by the suspended DSP D Praneeth Rao, through phone tapping while working in the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB).

The investigation team interrogated Radhakishan Rao at Banjara Hills station on Thursday. On Friday, after a medical examination at Gandhi Hospital, he was brought to the Judge's residence and was remanded to 14 days of judicial remand.

Inspector Mallu Gattu, who previously worked in the Task Force and SIB, was also detained by the police. It was alleged that he was in close association with D Praneeth Rao and Radhakishan Rao. SIT alleged that he was involved in extortion in both departments. Additionally, four more officials working under Radhakishan in the Task Force were also being interrogated.

Earlier, the Nampally Court on Thursday issued an order granting five-day police custody to Additional SPs Bhujanga Rao and Thirupatanna, who were already arrested and held in the Chanchalguda Central Jail. However, the Court refused to grant police custody for Praneeth Rao. His lawyers argued that he was arrested on March 12 and should not be given into police custody after 14 days had already elapsed. Consequently, the Court dismissed the police petition.

It is learned that Radhakishan Rao’s arrest was based on statements provided by suspended DSP D Praneeth Rao, in addition to cases being booked against two Additional SPs, retired IG Prabhakar Rao, and a manager of a media company. Following Praneeth Rao's statements, searches were conducted at the residences of the individuals involved in the case, leading to the arrest of two Additional SPs, Bhujanga Rao and Thirupatanna. The remaining three suspects are believed to have fled the country, prompting the police to issue lookout notices.

With the arrest of Radhakishan, as many as four police personnel have been arrested in the case so far.