In a significant relief to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA and former minister T Harish Rao, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petitions filed by the Telangana government seeking to revive proceedings against him in the alleged phone tapping case.
A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice B V Nagarathna rejected two Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed by the state government against Harish Rao and former Deputy Commissioner of Police Radha Kishan Rao.
The bench made it clear that it would not interfere with the orders passed earlier by the Telangana high court, which had quashed the FIRs registered against the two.
The case has its origins in a complaint filed by real estate businessman Chakradhar Goud at the Panjagutta police station, alleging that his phone had been illegally tapped during the previous BRS government. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered, naming Harish Rao among the accused.
Challenging the FIR, Harish Rao approached the Telangana high court, which ruled in his favour, holding that the allegations were not supported by credible material and lacked sufficient evidence to justify continuation of criminal proceedings. Consequently, the high court quashed the FIR.
Unhappy with the verdict, the Telangana government moved the Supreme Court, seeking permission to investigate Harish Rao in the phone tapping case.
Appearing on behalf of the state, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra argued that the investigation should be allowed to proceed.
However, after hearing both sides, the Supreme Court declined to intervene, observing that there were no valid grounds to interfere with the High Court’s well-reasoned order.
The bench dismissed the SLPs, effectively closing the door on further criminal proceedings against Harish Rao in this case.
The ruling is seen as a major legal and political setback for the Congress-led Telangana government, while providing substantial relief to the BRS leader, who has consistently denied any involvement in illegal surveillance.