KCR ‘ready to appear before SIT’ in phone tapping case — but only at his farmhouse 60 km from Hyderabad at a more ‘convenient’ date
Sources close to KCR told The Indian Express that in notices served under section 160 of the CrPC, people who are over 65 years old can be examined at their “usual place of residence” and this “does not have jurisdictional limits”.
5 min readHyderabadUpdated: Jan 30, 2026 04:04 AM IST
The notice issued to KCR (pictured) claimed that during the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the former CM is acquainted with facts and circumstances relevant to the case. (Express File Photo Praveen Khanna)
Former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, also known as KCR, has expressed willingness to appear before the special investigation team (SIT) investigating the alleged illegal phone tapping case, but has put forward a caveat: the SIT must examine him “at his normal station of residence”, which is the Erravalli farmhouse in Siddipet district, about 60 km from Hyderabad.
Also, in view of nominations being filed for municipal and corporation elections, he should be examined at a later, “convenient” date and not January 30, he said in a reply to the summons issued by the SIT.
Sources close to KCR told The Indian Express that in notices served under section 160 of the CrPC, people who are over 65 years old can be examined at their “place of residence” and this “does not have jurisdictional limits”.
A source said, “The SIT is mandating that he should appear within its Hyderabad jurisdiction for questioning. But that is not the correct stand under the law. He should be questioned where he resides normally. They should come to him for questioning there. A reply to this effect will be sent to the SIT shortly.”
In his reply letter to the summons, KCR wrote, “In view of (the municipal and corporation elections), I am preoccupied with issuing authorisation to a number of persons as the elections are being held on party basis.”
The reply further read, “I would like to remind that it is mandated by law that any male person above 65 years is not required to attend the police station and the investigation team is required to examine such male person at the place in which such male person is residing. I state that being a former chief minister for the state of Telangana and present Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly… I would like to assure my full cooperation with the said investigation.”
However, an SIT source said, “In his election affidavit, his Nandinagar residence in Hyderabad is given as his permanent residence. We have gone by the book.”
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The SIT probing the alleged tapping of phones when the KCR-led Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) government was in power in Telangana earlier issued a notice to KCR to appear and record his statement in the case.
SIT officials visited KCR’s residence at Nandi Nagar in Banjara Hills to serve the notice under CrPC 160, which empowers an investigating officer to formally summon someone. This is the first time KCR has been summoned by the SIT, which has already recorded statements of his son K T Rama Rao and nephews T Harish Rao and Joginipally Santosh Kumar.
The current Congress government has accused the BRS administration of snooping on rivals ahead of the last Assembly election and conspiring to ensure a BRS victory for the third time in Telangana. According to the SIT probing the case, some officers of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) had formed a coterie and mounted illegal surveillance of political rivals to serve the then BRS government and some of its top leaders.
The notice issued to KCR, signed by P Venkatagiri, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jubilee Hills Division, claimed that during the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the former CM is acquainted with facts and circumstances relevant to the case. “Your examination is therefore necessary and required for the purpose of further investigation,” it said.
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The SIT asked KCR to record his statement on January 30 at 3 pm. “If you desire so, you may voluntarily appear before the undersigned at the Jubilee Hills Police Station or, alternatively, you may specify any other place within Hyderabad city convenient for examination, and the undersigned, along with the investigation team, shall attend the said place accordingly on the above-mentioned date and time,” the notice states.
Last June, KCR deposed for 50 minutes before a judicial commission of inquiry headed by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, which was constituted by the state government to “enquire into the negligence, irregularities and lacunae in planning, designing and construction” of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla Barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
