Date: December 05, 2024
High Court Grants Relief to Harish Rao in Phone Tapping Case
Telangana High Court Protects Harish Rao in Phone Tapping Investigation
The Telangana High Court has granted relief to BRS MLA T. Harish Rao, instructing the Punjagutta Police not to arrest him in connection with a phone tapping case. The investigation is still ongoing.
The case, registered under FIR No. 1205/2024 on December 1, accuses Harish Rao of criminal conspiracy, extortion, breach of trust, criminal intimidation, and violations of the IT Act, 2008. These allegations stem from a complaint by Gadhagoni Chakradhar Goud, who claims that he misused state intelligence resources to tap his phone and those of his family. Goud alleges that these actions were meant to intimidate him due to his political rivalry with Harish Rao.
Legal Arguments in Court
During the hearing, Siddharth Luthra, Senior Counsel for the State, argued that Goud’s complaint was the second one on the same issue. The first complaint, filed on November 23, also raised concerns about illegal phone tapping. Luthra also mentioned that Apple Inc. had notified Goud about the possibility of his phone being tapped.
Luthra opposed Harish Rao’s petition to quash the FIR, suggesting anticipatory bail was the proper legal path.
J. Ramchander Rao, Senior Counsel for H, rejected the allegations. He described Goud as a habitual complainant with a history of filing multiple complaints, including one challenging Rao’s victory in the 2023 Assembly elections. Rao argued that the FIR was politically motivated to harm his reputation.
Court’s Ruling: Relief for Harish Rao
Justice K. Lakshman noted that in similar cases, the court had granted protection from arrest while allowing investigations to continue. Following this precedent, the judge ruled in favor of Harish Rao, granting him protection from arrest while allowing the investigation to proceed.
The court also issued notices to Gadhagoni Chakradhar Goud, asking him to respond to the allegations.
What’s Next?
The court has temporarily protected Harish Rao from arrest, but the investigation into the phone tapping case will continue. The next steps in this legal battle will unfold as the investigation progresses.