Telangana Phone Tapping Case : Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection To Media Outlet MD, Asks Him To Cooperate With Investigation

The Supreme Court today granted interim protection against arrest to Aruvela Shravan Kumar, Managing Director of a Telugu media outlet, to allow him to travel from the United States to India for the purpose of investigation. Kumar is one of the accused in the illegal phone-tapping operation conducted during the reign of the BRS Government, allegedly against bureaucrats and High Court judges.Last year, the Telangana High Court initiated suo moto proceedings into the illegal phone-tapping operation. It had taken up the matter stating that the issue involved "national security" and not just infringement of right to privacy.A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing a Special Leave Petition against the Telangana High Court's order denying anticipatory bail to Kumar through an order passed in March.Appearing for Kumar, Senior Advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu requested that a notice be issued in the SLP and meanwhile, some interim protection may be given to him. Against this, the counsel appearing on behalf of the State of Telangana, vehemently opposed any interim protection. She added that a red-corner notice has been issued against Kumar.Responding to this, Naidu stated: "Mylords, I have written to them. I am always available. They have not sent even one notice to me under Section 41A [CrPC]."The State counsel remarked that Kumar has been absconding for a year now. On the plea for no interim protection, Justice Nagarathna orally asked if the State would arrest him today. The responded that the State is unable to arrest him because he is currently in the US.On this, Justice Nagarathna suggested that the extradition process should be initiated. She added that an interim protection would actually benefit the State as he will have to respond to the Court's order and come back to India. "We tell you one thing, if we don't give him protection now he will never come to India. Let him come...Suppose he receives a notice that he has to come for investigation, he must land in India," Justice Nagarathna."in the circumstance above we find just and proper to grant interim protection to the petitioner here in till the next date of hearing provided that the petitioner cooperates with the investigation. It is needless to state and observe that in the event the time and date is fixed for the petitioner to appear before the concerning investigating officer, he shall do so and comply with the said order subject to the time being granted to come to India," the order states.Assuring that the Court's order will be abided by, Naidu submitted: "Within 48 hours we undertake he will be here."In January, the same bench also granted bail to Mekala Thirupathanna, a suspended police officer, who is also an accused in this case.At the High Court, a special Bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Vinod Kumar took up the matter following a new article published in the Deccan Chronicle which claimed that apart from rival politicians, High Court judges had become the target of the phone-tapping scam. The issue came to light in December of 2023, after Congress won the elections and came to power within the State of Telangana.The Court will hear the matter on April 28.Case Details: ARUVELA SHRAVAN KUMAR RAO Vs THE STATE OF TELANGANA| SLP(Crl) No. 3627/2025

Telangana Phone Tapping Case : Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection To Media Outlet MD, Asks Him To Cooperate With Investigation

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

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