MLA says phone tapped, asks DGP to probe

Mahbubnagar citizens said they experienced unusual interference on phones between 2018 and 2023

Congress Mahbubnagar MLA Yennam Srinivas Reddy on Tuesday complained to Directorgeneral of Police (DGP) Ravi Gupta about the suspected tapping of his mobile phone during the recent Assembly elections, allegedly on the instructions of a former BRS minister in collusion with certain police officials in Hyderabad and Mahbubnagar.

“A serious breach of privacy and potential abuse of power has happened during the time of elections. I have reason to believe that my mobile phone had been unlawfully tapped on the instructions of a former minister, allegedly in collusion with certain police officers of SIB both in the city and Mahbubnagar town,” said Srinivas Reddy in his complaint.

He said that his personal staff had received several threatening calls warning them against helping him during the elections.

The suspicion arose due to numerous reports and testimonies from citizens of Mahbubnagar town that they had experienced unusual interference and surveillance on their mobile phones between 2018 and 2023, Srinivas Reddy said.

“These reports indicate a pattern of targeted surveillance particularly towards individuals, who have been critical of the policies of the then ruling party, the BRS, those associated with opposition parties, respected personalities and renowned businessmen in Mahbubnagar town,” the legislator stated in his complaint.

“Based on the information gathered by the means of tapping their mobile phones, hundreds of citizens in the Mahbubnagar constituency have been subjected to threat, coercion and blackmail from the former minister and police officials. Because of these threats, some of them have stopped their business and shifted along with their families to Hyderabad,” Srinivas Reddy stated.

“The unauthorised interception of private communications is not only a violation of my fundamental right to privacy but also a grave infringement upon the principles of justice and democratic governance.

Such actions cannot be tolerated in a society that upholds the rule of law and respects individual liberties,” the MLA stated in his complaint.

Srinivas Reddy urged urged the DGP to launch a thorough and impartial enquiry into the matter and investigate

the involvement of the former minister and police officers.

DGP Gupta assured Srinivas Reddy of taking action.

— S. SURENDER REDDY Mahbubnagar MLA Yennam Srinivasa Reddy and others come out of the office of the DGP requesting him to conduct a more in-depth investigation into the phone tapping on Tuesday.