Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son Bandi Bhagirath approached the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a POCSO case registered at the Pet Basheerabad Police Station.
As the High Court is on summer vacation, the petition was placed before the Vacation Bench. The court will hear the matter on May 14.
Police registered the case on May 8 after the mother of a 17-year-old girl alleged that Bhagirath harassed her daughter.
Following the complaint, Pet Basheerabad police booked Bhagirath under the POCSO Act.
Meanwhile, police said Bhagirath remained unavailable and teams were trying to trace him.
Bandi Bhagirath anticipatory bail case under SIT probe
The Telangana government later constituted a Special Investigation Team to conduct the probe.
Authorities appointed Kukatpally DCP Rithiraj as the investigating officer. In addition, police planned to record the victim’s statement again.
On the same day, Karimnagar police registered a counter-case after Bhagirath alleged that the girl and her parents demanded money from him.
Subsequently, Karimnagar police booked a “honey trap” case against the complainant side.
Meanwhile, the case triggered strong political reactions across Telangana.
Senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao alleged that the SIT was intended to weaken the case against Bhagirath. He also accused the Congress government and the BJP of engaging in “collusive politics”.
Bandi Bhagirath anticipatory bail row sparks political reactions
BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao also criticised both the BJP and Congress over the case.
In a post on X, KTR referred to the Centre’s “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign. He then alleged that it had turned into “Beta Bhagao, Beta Bachao”.
Further, he accused both parties of attempting to protect the accused in the case involving an alleged assault on a minor girl.
However, the BJP and Congress have not yet issued formal responses to KTR’s allegations.