Telangana: In a major development in the high-profile Telangana phone-tapping case, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday (October 14, 2025) directed former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao, the prime accused in the case, to share the password to his iCloud account in the presence of forensic experts.
A Bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan also extended interim protection from arrest to Rao while making it clear that he must cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.
Court Directs Access to iCloud Data
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Telangana government, alleged that Rao had destroyed key electronic evidence and formatted official devices after moving a plea for anticipatory bail.
“He was intercepting the phones of several influential persons, not just politicians. After moving his bail plea, he formatted the device—making it appear brand new,” Mehta submitted before the court. He added that forensic reports suggested possible data backups on 15 external hard drives, which are now part of the investigation.
In response, the apex court ordered Rao to share his iCloud credentials under expert supervision, enabling forensic specialists to retrieve relevant data.
Rao Denies Wrongdoing, Alleges Political Targeting
Senior advocate D S Naidu, representing Rao, countered the allegations and maintained that his client was being “politically targeted.”
He argued that the formatting of official systems followed standard protocols for handling sensitive data and that Rao had already complied with several requests from investigators. Naidu assured the court that Rao was ready to reset and share his iCloud password in the presence of forensic experts.
Court Warns Against Political Interference
The hearing took a sharp turn when Naidu alleged that MPs and MLAs had been allowed to question Rao during the probe. Justice Nagarathna reacted strongly, stating, “It cannot be a tamasha. Elected representatives cannot be part of an investigation or act as spectators.”
Solicitor General Mehta denied the claim and offered to submit an affidavit refuting it. The bench made it clear that the investigation must remain independent and free of political influence.
Timeline of the Case
- May 3, 2025: Telangana High Court rejects Rao’s anticipatory bail plea.
- May 29, 2025: Supreme Court grants interim protection from arrest.
- June 20, 2025: Hyderabad court issues proclamation order declaring Rao an absconder if he fails to appear.
- October 14, 2025: Supreme Court directs him to share iCloud credentials and cooperate with probe.
Illegal Surveillance Allegations Rock Telangana Politics
The phone-tapping case has created a political storm in Telangana. Rao, who served as the SIB chief during the previous government’s tenure, is accused of illegal surveillance and phone interception of opposition leaders and senior bureaucrats.
The case is being closely monitored by both political parties and civil liberties groups, given its implications on privacy, governance, and misuse of state surveillance machinery.
