Latest news with #MaheshKumarGoud
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Blatant violation of democracy': TPCC chief Mahesh Goud testifies in Telangana phone tapping probe; Congress, BJP, TDP leaders targeted
HYDERABAD: TPCC president and MLC B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday accused the previous BRS govt of orchestrating a wide-ranging illegal phone tapping operation to suppress opposition voices and manipulate election outcomes. Mahesh Goud gave his statement as a witness in the phone tapping case being probed by the special investigation team and recorded his deposition before Jubilee Hills ACP P Venkatagiri. He alleged that over 650 political functionaries, including leaders from the Congress, BJP, and TDP, were targeted by the special operations team (SOT) at the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) office between 2017 and 2023. "The officials informed me my number too was under surveillance. I've given a full statement without reservations," Mahesh Goud told the media. Calling it a "blatant violation of democratic norms," he demanded that cases be registered against former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, BRS working president KT Rama Rao, and senior bureaucrats who, he alleged, facilitated the digital surveillance. He pointed out that the mass interception of calls, messages, and chats undermined the Congress campaign during 2018 polls. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Altenpfleger verrät: So zahlt die Pflegekasse Ihren Treppenlift Checkfox | Treppenlift Check Undo Sources said CM A Revanth Reddy and his family members' statements are also likely to be recorded by cops in connection with the case. Mahesh Goud claimed that the then chief secretary Somesh Kumar ignored warnings from him and then TPCC chief Revanth about tapping of their phones. He alleged that T Prabhakar Rao was installed as SIB chief to execute covert operation and that key hard disks were destroyed after the Congress came to power in Dec 2023. "They tried to brand us Naxalite sympathisers. It was a plot to smear us," he said. A SIT officer said over 4,000 phones were intercepted in Nov 2023. "We are recording statements from those whose numbers were tapped. None had any involvement in activities warranting surveillance," he noted. Congress Rajya Sabha MP M Anil Kumar Yadav, who also recorded his statement, said, "This explains how police placed us under house arrest every time we planned a protest." "Police will record statements from businessmen whose cash was seized based on intercepted calls, to verify whether the funds were legally accounted for," said an official.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Snoopgate Probe: TPCC chief testifies before SIT; seeks stern action against guilty
Hyderabad: Designated as 'Maoist sympathisers', the phones of Congress leaders, including that of PCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, were allegedly tapped during BRS regime. The State Congress party chief and other leaders recorded their statements as witnesses before the SIT (Special Investigation Team) of state police investigating the 'illegal phone tapping' on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after his deposition, Mahesh Kumar Goud demanded that those involved in the phone tapping under the previous government be punished. He said the then ruling party leaders who ordered tapping of phones of their political rivals and the IAS and IPS officers who obeyed the orders should be punished. Mahesh Goud said the guilty should be punished strictly so that no government in the future would dare to indulge in such illegal and unethical activity. He claimed that the Congress party suffered defeats in Telangana due to illegal phone tapping of its leaders by the BRS government. He alleged that the BRS government tapped the phones of several Congress leaders. He said his and the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's phones were also tapped. The PCC president said that on suspicion that his phone was being tapped, he had lodged a complaint with the police. 'Today, the facts have come out. Phones of senior Congress leaders have been tapped since 2022. We learnt that there are names of 650 Congress leaders in the SIT's list whose phones were illegally tapped,' he said. Mahesh Goud also alleged that the previous government threw the Telegraph Act to the wind to indulge in illegal activity. Goud remarked that BRS leaders KCR and KTR should hang their heads in shame for indulging in this act. The state Congress chief said the SIT investigations are revealing how the BRS misused power to resort to phone tapping. He said the previous government appointed T Prabhakar Rao as intelligence chief after his retirement. He claimed that such a thing did not happen anywhere in the country. The Congress leader, who served as the working president of the TPCC in November 2023, was allegedly a victim of illegal phone tapping.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
TPCC president Mahesh Goud says BRS tapped 650 leaders' phones, gives statement to SIT in phone tapping case; demands cases against KCR, KTR, top officials
HYDERABAD: TPCC president and MLC B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday accused the previous BRS govt of orchestrating a wide-ranging illegal phone tapping operation to suppress opposition voices and manipulate election outcomes. Mahesh Goud gave his statement as a witness in the phone tapping case being probed by the special investigation team and recorded his deposition before Jubilee Hills ACP P Venkatagiri. He alleged that over 650 political functionaries, including leaders from the Congress, BJP, and TDP, were targeted by the special operations team (SOT) at the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) office between 2017 and 2023. "The officials informed me my number too was under surveillance. I've given a full statement without reservations," Mahesh Goud told the media. Calling it a "blatant violation of democratic norms," he demanded that cases be registered against former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, BRS working president KT Rama Rao, and senior bureaucrats who, he alleged, facilitated the digital surveillance. He pointed out that the mass interception of calls, messages, and chats undermined the Congress campaign during 2018 polls. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Sources said CM A Revanth Reddy and his family members' statements are also likely to be recorded by cops in connection with the case. Mahesh Goud claimed that the then chief secretary Somesh Kumar ignored warnings from him and then TPCC chief Revanth about tapping of their phones. He alleged that T Prabhakar Rao was installed as SIB chief to execute covert operation and that key hard disks were destroyed after the Congress came to power in Dec 2023. "They tried to brand us Naxalite sympathisers. It was a plot to smear us," he said. A SIT officer said over 4,000 phones were intercepted in Nov 2023. "We are recording statements from those whose numbers were tapped. None had any involvement in activities warranting surveillance," he noted. Congress Rajya Sabha MP M Anil Kumar Yadav, who also recorded his statement, said, "This explains how police placed us under house arrest every time we planned a protest." "Police will record statements from businessmen whose cash was seized based on intercepted calls, to verify whether the funds were legally accounted for," said an official.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Phone tapping: Mahesh Goud to appear as witness today
Hyderabad: PCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud is set to appear as a witness in the ongoing probe into the 'phone tapping' case. The Jubilee Hills ACP will be recording his statement on Tuesday. Mahesh Kumar Goud, who was serving as PCC working president during the November 2023 Assembly polls, was one of victims. His phone was allegedly tapped during the previous government's tenure, besides that of scores of other opposition leaders. Following police summons, the PCC chief has been asked to participate in the inquiry and provide his statement as part of the legal proceedings. He will be examined as a witness in connection with the case, which is being probed to uncover the extent of surveillance allegedly carried by the KCR regime.
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
TPCC president Mahesh calls for unity among backward classes
HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Saturday said the time has come for the Backward Classes (BCs) to unite and assert their collective strength. He underscored the need for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to rise above party considerations. The PCC president, who is also an MLC, participated, along with BJP MP Eatala Rajender and others, in a function organised to mark the release of the book 'OBC Porubata', written by IAS officer Narahari Parikipandla and advocate Pruthviraj Singh, at Suravaram Pratapa Reddy Telugu University here. Mahesh Kumar Goud stated that the Centre's decision to conduct a caste census stands as a major achievement for the Congress, adding that Telangana has emerged as a model for the country through its implementation of the caste-based survey. He praised Rahul Gandhi for championing the concept of the caste census to ensure social justice. Historically, he said, OBCs were seen merely as instruments for vote-bank politics, but today, they have progressed to the stage where they are demanding their rightful share in the political space.
