Former Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K. Chandrashekar Rao was questioned for nearly five hours on Sunday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state police in connection with the alleged illegal phone-tapping case.
The interrogation took place at Rao’s Nandinagar residence amid heavy police deployment. After the questioning, Rao—popularly known as KCR—emerged accompanied by his son and BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao, along with other party leaders, and greeted party workers and supporters who had gathered outside the residence in large numbers.
#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: A large number of BRS party workers gathered outside party chief KCR's house in Nandi Nagar, Hyderabad, and raised slogans in his support.
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2026
The SIT questioned KCR today in connection with the phone tapping case. https://t.co/Q6MTTjA6FT pic.twitter.com/tqMLmWNMCS
BRS spokesperson Manne Krishank alleged that the SIT violated established rules by questioning Rao beyond 6 pm. Citing Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), he claimed that witness statements should be recorded only before sunset.
“Beyond sunset, 71-year-old KCR ji is being inquired about, which is a violation by the SIT. Under 160 CRPC, when recording a witness statement, you should do so before 6 pm. The SIT has intentionally, from the outset, sought to violate KCR's constitutional rights," he told ANI news agency.
He also criticised the manner in which the SIT served notices to Rao, stating that the team should have travelled to his residence in Gajwel instead of pasting notices on the walls of the Nandinagar house.
“KCR is a reputed leader. He fought for Telangana statehood. He achieved Telangana. He has been the chief minister for 10 years and is also currently the leader of the opposition. The government clearly knows that KCR resides in his constituency, Gajwel. Couldn't the SIT travel to Gajwel and give the notices? Instead, they choose to humiliate by pasting them to the walls," he said.
K. T. Rama Rao described the case as “frivolous” and accused the Congress-led government of using the investigation to divert public attention.
"Just to divert public attention, all this drama is going on,” he said, adding that ever since the Congress came to power in the southern state, it has indulged in "diversion, subversion and perversion".
#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: On the alleged phone-tapping case, BRS working president KT Rama Rao says, "This story that they have cooked up have been doing rounds for the last 2 years. If they have any evidence let them prove it in the court... Mahesh Gaud and the Congress… pic.twitter.com/6BJAbI3xGS
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2026
The case relates to allegations of large-scale unauthorised phone surveillance during the previous BRS government, reportedly targeting politicians, businessmen, journalists, members of the judiciary, and other prominent individuals.
Since March 2024, Hyderabad Police have arrested four officials, including a suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police, in connection with the investigation.
On January 30, the SIT rejected Rao’s request to be questioned at his Yerravalli farmhouse and directed him to appear at his Nandinagar residence on February 1.
