High Court to Hear Anticipatory Bail Plea of Union Minister's Son in POCSO Case

The Telangana High Court's Vacation Bench will consider an anticipatory bail petition on May 14 from Bandi Bhagirath, son of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case.

The petition was filed after police registered a case at Pet Basheerabad Police Station on May 8 following allegations from a 17-year-old girl's mother that Bhagirath had harassed her daughter. The High Court is currently on summer vacation, which led to the matter being placed before the Vacation Bench.

According to police, Bhagirath was not available, and authorities were attempting to locate him at the time of the case registration. Following the complaint, officers charged him under the POCSO Act.

In response to the allegations, the Telangana government established a Special Investigation Team to handle the inquiry. Kukatpally Deputy Commissioner of Police Rithiraj was appointed as the investigating officer. Police also indicated plans to record a fresh statement from the victim.

On the same day the POCSO case was filed, Karimnagar police registered a separate case after Bhagirath alleged that the girl and her parents had demanded money from him. The police booked a "honey trap" case against the complainant's side based on these claims.

The matter has sparked considerable political controversy across the state. Senior Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T. Harish Rao claimed the Special Investigation Team was designed to undermine the case against Bhagirath. He also levelled accusations that the Congress government and the BJP were engaging in "collusive politics."

BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao also voiced criticism of both the BJP and Congress regarding the case. In a post on social media platform X, he drew a parallel to the Centre's "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" (Save Girls, Educate Girls) campaign, alleging it had effectively become "Beta Bhagao, Beta Bachao" (Hide the Son, Save the Son). He further charged that both parties were attempting to shield the accused in what he described as an alleged assault on a minor girl.

Neither the BJP nor Congress have issued formal statements responding to these allegations.