Hyderabad/IBNS: Former Telangana Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakhar Rao has been named accused number 1 in the phone-tapping case that has created a major controversy in the state ahead of a general election.

Rao, on whose order reams of electronic data are said to have been gathered by illegally tapping the phones of opposition leaders during the earlier BRS government led by K Chandrashekar Rao, is reportedly in the United States.

A look-out notice has been issued in his name.

Rao's home in Hyderabad has been searched, as have nearly a dozen other locations, including the residence of Shravan Rao, who runs a Telugu TV channel called I News.

Sharvan Rao, who is also believed to be out of the country, allegedly helped set up phone-tapping equipment (from Israel) and servers on the premises of a local school.

Another cop, Radha Kishan Rao, who was serving in the city task force, has also been named as an accused and a look-out notice has been issued for him as well.

Several other Telangana police officers are being investigated in connection with this case.

Three cops including Additional SPs Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna, and Deputy SP Praneeth Rao have already been arrested.

The police said Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna, arrested last week, had confessed to monitoring private persons illegally and destroying the evidence.