Wed May 21 23:10:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

A Hyderabad court has issued a directive for T. Prabhakar Rao, a former police chief accused of illegal telephone tapping, to appear before it by June 20th, 2025. Rao, who is currently abroad, is accused of eavesdropping on numerous individuals while heading the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) to benefit the previous BRS government. He left the country after a criminal case was registered against him and has been declared an absconder after failing to respond to court summons. If he fails to appear, the court may declare him a proclaimed offender.

**News Article:**

**Former Police Chief Faces Proclaimed Offender Status in Tapping Case**

**Hyderabad, May 22, 2025** – A local court in Hyderabad has ordered T. Prabhakar Rao, the former chief of the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), to appear before it by June 20th, 2025, or face being declared a proclaimed offender in a high-profile telephone tapping case.

Rao, a retired IPS officer who previously held key positions within the police department, is accused of illegally eavesdropping on the calls of politicians, bureaucrats, journalists, judicial officers, and others during his tenure as SIB chief. Investigators believe the tapping was conducted to benefit the then-ruling BRS government.

The case emerged after the BRS lost the December 2023 elections, and a complaint was filed regarding the destruction of evidence within the SIB office. Rao resigned from his post and subsequently left for the United States, reportedly citing medical reasons.

Despite maintaining his willingness to cooperate with investigators and claiming he is seeking medical treatment, Rao has not returned to India. His anticipatory bail petition was rejected by the Telangana High Court, and he subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court.

In January, police filed a petition seeking to declare Rao a proclaimed offender after failing to serve him with court warrants. The Fourteenth Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate has now directed Rao to appear by June 20th. Failure to do so will likely result in the court declaring him a proclaimed offender, further intensifying legal pressure on the former police chief. Four other police officers have been arrested in connection to the case and have implicated Rao as the primary accused.

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