Hyderabad:

The K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi faced major problems as shocking allegations of state police tapping the phones of then opposition leaders, including current chief minister Revans Reddy, celebrities and businessmen came to the fore.

Surveillance was also allegedly used to blackmail businessmen into making huge donations to the BRS party fund.

BRS has yet to respond to the allegations.

Three senior police officers were arrested and a lookout notice was issued against former NIA director T Prabhakar Rao, who is reportedly in the US.

Police said two senior police officers – Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhujanga Rao and Deputy Superintendent of Police Thirupathanna – had admitted illegal surveillance and destruction of evidence.

According to reports, Ravi Paul, a technical adviser to the National Intelligence Agency in the then BRS government, allegedly helped import and install phone-tapping equipment near Mr Reddy’s residence to eavesdrop on his conversations.

The device was allegedly imported from Israel under the guise of a software company. It is understood that such imports require permission from the Centre, but no permission was obtained from the Centre. With this setup, it is reported that any speech within a 300-meter range can be heard.

Ravi Paul allegedly set up an office near Mr Reddy’s residence and installed the device. The police will question him in this regard.

Alert notices were also issued to Sharvan Rao, who runs Telugu TV channel I News, and Radha Kishan Rao, police officer of the city’s special task force.

Surveillance is not limited to opposition leaders. Top businessmen, including real estate dealers and jewelers, as well as celebrities are also under surveillance. In fact, one celebrity couple reportedly divorced after their phone calls were tapped.

To add insult to injury, Chief Minister Reddy received a complaint from businessman and BJP leader Sharan Chaudhary, alleging that senior police officers kidnapped him last year and forced him to sign over a piece of land to a relative of the former minister and BRS leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao.

Mr Chaudhry accused Radha Kishan Rao and senior police officer ACP Umamaheswara Rao of abducting him on August 21 while he was on his way to work. He claimed that he was illegally detained and forced to register his property in the name of Vijay, a close relative of the minister. He was also forced to pay Rs 50 lakh to be released.

The businessman said he had moved the high court after the incident but Uma Maheshwar Rao threatened to file a false case against him and forced him to withdraw the petition.