The Supreme Court on Thursday directed former Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) Chief T Prabhakar Rao, accused in the high-profile phone-tapping case, to surrender before police by 11 a.m. on Friday. The bench, comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan, noted that the order is essential for further investigation into the alleged offences against Rao. This directive comes amid growing scrutiny of Rao’s role in the misuse of SIB resources for unlawful surveillance and political purposes during the previous BRS government.

The apex court instructed Rao to appear at the Jubilee Hills police station and submit to custodial interrogation in accordance with the law. The bench emphasized that the accused is entitled to have food from home and take regular medication while in custody. By setting a clear timeline for his surrender, the court signaled its intent to ensure that investigations proceed without delay, maintaining the integrity of the judicial process. The matter has been listed for further hearing on Friday, where additional directions regarding the investigation may be issued.

During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the Telangana government, informed the court that the iCloud accounts linked to Rao reportedly contain no recoverable data and the associated email addresses are inaccessible. The state government had previously alleged that Rao was deliberately withholding access to these accounts, despite a prior court order directing him to cooperate. The Supreme Court’s instruction to surrender is therefore aimed at facilitating direct examination of evidence and clarifying unresolved issues regarding electronic data and communications.

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Rao had earlier received interim protection from coercive action in May, under the condition that he would return to India within three days of receiving his passport. He had also challenged the Telangana High Court’s dismissal of his anticipatory bail plea. A Hyderabad court issued a proclamation against him on May 22, warning that failure to appear could result in him being declared a “proclaimed offender,” which could further lead to the attachment of his properties. These steps underscore the seriousness of the case and the potential consequences of non-compliance.

The case involves Rao and several suspended SIB officials accused of illegally surveilling citizens during the previous BRS regime. Police allege that they misused SIB resources to gather information on multiple individuals without authorization, maintained profiles for partisan purposes, and deliberately destroyed records to conceal evidence of their activities. Four officials, including a suspended DSP, have already been arrested since March 2024 and later granted bail. Authorities maintain that this investigation is critical to upholding accountability and ensuring that misuse of intelligence resources for political ends is fully addressed.

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