The Telangana High Court postponed the hearing on Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bandi Bhageerath’s plea for interim bail in a POCSO case to Friday. Justice Madhavi Devi scheduled the decision on interim bail for the next day after considering arguments from both sides. Bhageerath’s lawyer, Niranjan Reddy, urged the court to dismiss the case, claiming the girl involved is not a minor due to inconsistencies in age records.
The judge ordered a review of records to verify the victim’s age, as a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was filed against Bhageerath for allegedly assaulting a 17-year-old girl. The incident was reported at Pet Basheerabad Police Station on May 8, with charges under relevant sections. In response, Bhageerath filed a counter-complaint in Karimnagar, alleging extortion attempts by the girl’s family.
Following the complaint, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy instructed the State Director General of Police to investigate the matter. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj was assigned to oversee the inquiry and spoke with the victim for additional information. Subsequently, stricter provisions of the POCSO Act were invoked, including sections related to aggravated penetrative sexual assault with severe penalties.
Despite receiving notices, Bhageerath did not appear before the police, prompting further action. A second notice was sent to his uncle in Karimnagar, the last known location of his mobile phone. Bhageerath later requested a two-day extension to present himself before the Station House Officer at Pet Basheerabad Police Station.
