Hyderabad, Jan 30 (IANS): The Telangana High Court on Thursday granted bail to former Additional Superintendent of Police Bhujanga Rao and former Deputy Commissioner of Police P. Radha Kishan Rao in the phone tapping case.

The High Court ordered their release on the condition that they submit two sureties each of Rs one lakh and surrender their passports. The former police officials were also directed to cooperate in the investigation.

This came three days after the Supreme granted bail to former Additional SP M. Thirupathanna in the same case.

The Supreme Court allowed the bail plea while emphasizing that the trial court may impose stringent bail conditions.

Thirupathanna’s bail plea had been rejected by the Telangana High Court in October 2024.

The phone tapping allegations under the previous government of BRS came to light in March last year with the arrest of Deputy Superintendent of Police Praneeth Rao following a complaint from his superior, D. Ramesh, Additional SP with the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB).

Then the chief of SIB, T. Prabhakar Rao had allegedly constituted a team within SIB with his trusted aides, including Praneeth Rao, for surveillance of rival political leaders, their families and dissidents within the ruling party, businessmen, journalists and even judges.

The police have named six accused in the case. Praneeth Rao, Additional SPs Thirupathanna and Bhujanga Rao and former DCP Radha Kishan Rao were arrested in the case.

Prabhakar Rao, who is named as the main accused and Sravan Kumar, managing director of a private news channel, are in the United States.

Telangana Police recently said it initiated the process to bring back two accused.

Director General of Police Dr Jitender said last month that their request for Red Corner notices is with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In November last year, the police questioned former BRS MLAs Jaipal Yadav and Chirumarthi Lingaiah in the phone tapping case.