Hyderabad: BRS General Secretary R.S. Praveen Kumar on Saturday questioned the alleged delay in registering a POCSO case against the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay.
Speaking at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad, he referred to reports linked to an alleged incident involving a 17-year-old girl.
Praveen Kumar alleged that Bhagirath forced the minor girl to consume alcohol before sexually assaulting her. He asked why police delayed the registration of the case.
POCSO case delay raises political questions
R.S. Praveen Kumar dismissed claims that Bhagirath feared the minor girl.
He referred to earlier incidents at Mahindra University. He alleged that police had registered two FIRs against Bhagirath in student assault cases.
“Is it conceivable that someone with such a track record would fear a 17-year-old minor girl,” he asked.
Praveen Kumar also alleged that a former V6 journalist, who later joined the BJP, tried to mediate in the case.
He claimed the journalist met the girl’s parents at a police station around 10 pm on Friday. He alleged that the journalist urged them to withdraw the complaint.
POCSO case delay remarks target police response
The BRS leader further alleged that Bandi Sanjay influenced the filing of a counter-case against the girl in April.
He accused Bhagirath of making a false claim in the FIR about giving Rs 50,000 to the girl’s family.
Praveen Kumar also criticised the sections police invoked in the case. He said Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act carried lighter punishment.
According to him, those sections made station bail easier to secure.
He alleged that authorities handled the matter lightly and sent a wrong message through their actions.
Neither Bandi Sanjay nor his son issued a public response to the allegations at the time of reporting.