SC Grants Bail To Prabhakar Rao

The Supreme Court today granted temporary anticipatory bail to T Prabhakar Rao, IPS officer and former SIB chief, who is the prime accused in the phone-tapping case in Telangana.

In its orders, the court also asked him to return to India within three days and fully cooperate with the investigators.

A bench comprising Justice B V Nagaratna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma directed Rao to immediately submit an undertaking that he would return to India within three days and cooperate with the investigation.

The bench also instructed the State government not to take any strict action against him for now.

The court added that it would conduct further hearings on the issue of anticipatory bail in such cases.

For context, Rao had earlier filed a petition in the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail. In his petition, he had mentioned that he would return to India if granted bail. However, the court refused to grant him bail. Rao challenged the High Court's verdict on May 9 in the Supreme Court, reiterating his willingness to return to India if granted anticipatory bail. The court, after hearing the petition, granted him anticipatory bail and ordered his immediate return to India.

In the meantime, Rao had also filed a petition in the US seeking recognition as a political refugee, which was rejected by the US government.

A Nampally court had recently stated that Rao must appear in court on June 20, and that if he did not he would be declared a proclaimed offender. As per the court's orders, the police posted notices on the wall of Rao's house.

If he is declared a proclaimed offender, the investigating agency will have the authority to confiscate his assets.