HYDERABAD
Deputy Floor Leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the Assembly and former Minister T. Harish Rao strongly objected to the manner in which the chief of the special investigation team (SIT) of the phone-tapping case V.C. Sajjanar has publicly referred to the issue of phone-tapping as ‘illegal’ even before the matter has been examined and decided by a competent court of law.
In a statement, Mr. Rao said on Monday that such a statement is deeply disturbing, especially coming from the head of a SIT. In a constitutional democracy, it is a well-settled principle that until a court of law records a finding, no allegation can be treated as an offence.
He pointed out that the role of the police is strictly limited to investigation and that police officers are not judges or adjudicators and they have no authority to declare any act as ‘illegal’ at the stage of inquiry. He was reacting to a social media post of Mr. Sajjanar, wherein he stated that ‘SIT has concluded the questioning of Gajwel MLA and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in connection with the illegal phone-tapping case’.
The BRS leader explained that whether any phone interception is legal or illegal depends entirely on the strict compliance with Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, the Information Technology Act and the safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court. Any deviation or violation can be determined only through judicial scrutiny and not through police communication.
By using the expression ‘illegal phone tapping’ in a message in his official capacity, the SIT Chief has displayed a preconceived notion about the outcome of the investigation, Mr. Harish Rao said and added that it runs contrary to the standards of neutrality, restraint and impartiality mandated under the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.
Published – February 02, 2026 06:54 pm IST
