The Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) granted anticipatory bail to former IPS officer T Prabhakar Rao in the alleged phone tapping case in Telangana. The order protects him from arrest while the investigation continues.
The case relates to allegations of illegal phone surveillance through the state’s intelligence network. Investigators say phones of several people were intercepted without following the required legal procedure.
Prabhakar Rao is a retired IPS officer of 2001 batch. He earlier served as chief of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Telangana. He has been named the main accused in the case.
The probe is looking into claims that intelligence resources were used to monitor political leaders and some other individuals during the previous regime in the state.
In December 2025, Rao surrendered before the police after directions from the Supreme Court. He later appeared before investigators for questioning.
Officials questioned him for several hours during the investigation. Sources said he did not give clear answers to some questions when confronted with material related to the alleged phone tapping.
With the Supreme Court granting anticipatory bail, Rao has got interim protection from arrest. The investigation into the alleged surveillance network is still underway. Agencies are also examining the possible role of other officials.
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