Phone-tapping case: KCR reaches Hyderabad ahead of SIT examination

Hyderabad, Feb 1 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao reached his residence in Hyderabad on Sunday ahead of his examination by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the telephone-tapping case.

KCR, as the BRS chief is popularly known, will be questioned by SIT officials at 3 p.m. on Sunday at his residence in Nandi Nagar in Banjara Hills.

Police have tightened security around KCR's house. Barricades have been erected to stop any gathering near the house. Only KCR's family members were being allowed into the house.

Police stepped up security in view of the plans by BRS leaders and workers to gather at KCR's Nandi Nagar house to show solidarity as they allege that he is being questioned due to "political vendetta" by the Congress government.

As the BRS cadres plan protests across the state, the Director General of Police has directed all Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to take necessary precautionary measures to avert any untoward incidents and ensure maintenance of law and order.

The communication from the DGP's office states that the BRS cadres may stage surprise protests such as 'dharna', 'rasta roko', rallies and burning effigies of the Chief Minister at all village, mandal and district headquarters in the state. It also said that in view of the ensuing municipal elections, BRS activists may try to escalate the issue to create law and order problems.

The SIT had summoned KCR for examination on Friday. The former chief minister was asked to make himself available at any place within Hyderabad but he conveyed to the SIT to fix any other date as was preoccupied in connection with the municipal elections.

KCR also sought his examination at his residence at Erravalli village in Siddipet district. However, SIT rejected his request and in its second notice pasted on his house in Hyderabad on the night of January 30, directed him to make himself available for examination in Hyderabad on Sunday.

The BRS leader, in his reply to SIT, stated he would make himself available at 3 p.m. on Sunday at his Nandi Nagar residence in Banjara Hills for examination by the SIT.

KCR also stated that the way the SIT proceeded with the second notice to him would not stand legal scrutiny. Pasting the notice on the wall of his house "is no notice in the eye of the law", he said.

In his six-page reply to the notice, which cited several Supreme Court and High Court verdicts on the manner of serving of such notices, the BRS chief said the Jubilee Hills' Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) had no jurisdiction to issue him a notice in the first place, as the house did not fall under the Jubilee Hills police limits. He said as per the provisions of the law, the SIT was "duty bound to record my statement at my place of residing, i.e. Erravalli and no other place."

He, however, added that notwithstanding the legal position, he, being a former Telangana Chief Minister and present Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and a responsible citizen of this country, would be available for his examination at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Nandi Nagar residence.

KCR is the top-most leader of BRS to be questioned in the case, relating to the alleged tapping of phones of several people, including political opponents, businessmen, journalists and even judges during the BRS rule.

The SIT last month examined BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao, T. Harish Rao and Santosh Rao.

--IANS