The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has requested the Election Commission (EC) to shift (transfer) the Commissioner of Police - Hyderabad City, Deputy CP - West Zone and the investigation officer of the phone tapping case, who are appointed by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also holding the portfolio of Home, as they are continuing to take instructions from the Chief Minister about the case.
In a complaint lodged with the EC, the party explained that Commissioner of Police K. Srinivas Reddy, DCP Vijay Kumar and investigation officer Venkatagiri are taking instructions from the Chief Minister continuously on whom to implicate in the case from time to time and are acting on the directions of the Chief Minister to give political advantage to Congress party in the Lok Sabha elections. The goings on had become an impediment in the conduct of free and fair elections and denying a level-playing field to the Opposition BRS.
“It appears that the CP Hyderabad is briefing Mr. Revanth Reddy and his coterie and cohorts on a daily basis on the progress of the case and taking instructions from him and they are in conspiracy with the Chief Minister and Congress party,” the BRS stated in its complaint.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, former minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah said the police officers were giving leaks to selective media houses, particularly the Andhra media, implicating working president of the BRS K.T. Rama Rao. Ruling party leaders including ministers such as Konda Surekha, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, K.K. Mahender Reddy and others were giving statements on the alleged involvement of KTR and KCR in the case and lodged a complaint with the DGP, primarily to channelise and direct the probe in the phone tapping case.
Stating that such interference in the ongoing investigation into the case on daily basis was denying fair and impartial probe, the BRS leader said no action was being taken against the officials who were crossing the line (violation of the model code), while the EC was taking action against such officials in other States.
A senior police officer, who was acting as the boss to accused in the phone tapping case since 2019, had filed a complaint against his subordinate on December 4, a day after the Assembly election results, and a FIR was raised on March 10, days before the announcement of Lok Sabha election schedule. “Was the senior police officer not aware of what his subordinate was doing including his ‘illegal acts’ for over four years. Then the senior officer also becomes a culprit,” Mr. Lakshmaiah said.
