Phone Tapping Case: SC Rejects Petition Against Harish Rao

The Supreme Court today dismissed the Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed by the Telangana government in connection with the phone-tapping case, providing major relief to BRS MLA and former minister T Harish Rao.

A bench headed by Justice B V Nagarathna declined to interfere with the earlier order of the Telangana High Court, which had quashed the FIR registered against Rao and former DCP Radhakishan Rao, observing that there were no grounds to revisit the matter.

The case arose from a complaint filed in 2024 by Chakradhar Goud, a real estate entrepreneur from Siddipet, who alleged illegal phone-tapping during the tenure of the BRS government. An FIR was subsequently registered. Harish Rao had approached the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR, and on March 20 last year, the court held that there was no material evidence linking him to the alleged offence.

The complainant later challenged the High Court's order before the Supreme Court, but the plea was dismissed. However, the Telangana government again approached the apex court on June 18, contending that the investigation was still in progress and that Rao needed to be examined.

Rejecting the government's plea, the Supreme Court reiterated the High Court's finding that Rao had no role in the alleged phone-tapping. The bench observed that a reasoned High Court order could not be set aside in the absence of fresh evidence.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra appeared for the State during the proceedings.