Bandi Sanjay’s Son Held in POCSO Case; MoS Says He Voluntarily Appeared Before Police

Hyderabad, May 2026: Cyberabad Police on Saturday arrested Bandi Bhagirath in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case, while his father and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, claimed that his son had voluntarily appeared before investigators and was not arrested.

The case has drawn significant attention in Telangana after police intensified the investigation and invoked stricter provisions of the POCSO Act against Bhagirath, who is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.

Soon after the police action, Bandi Sanjay took to social media platform X to state that his son had gone to the police station on his own for questioning. Sharing a photograph of Bhagirath accompanied by two lawyers, the Union Minister said his son had appeared before the authorities with full respect for the legal process.

According to Cyberabad Police, Bhagirath was taken into custody near the APPA Junction in Narsingi and subsequently brought to the Pet Basheerabad Police Station. A case had been registered against him on May 8 following allegations made by the minor girl.

Police officials questioned the accused for several hours and initiated preparations to produce him before a magistrate in Medchal.

The development came a day after the Telangana High Court declined to grant interim protection from arrest to Bhagirath. The matter was heard by Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the single-judge vacation bench, which conducted an extensive hearing lasting more than five hours.

During the hearing, the court reportedly examined the victim’s statement and observed that it was not inclined to issue any interim relief at this stage. The court is expected to pass further orders next week.

In his statement, Bandi Sanjay maintained that everyone is equal before the law and said his son has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He added that the family had consulted legal experts and decided to cooperate fully with the investigation despite court proceedings still being underway.

The Union Minister also expressed confidence in the judicial system, saying justice may sometimes be delayed but would ultimately prevail.

Initially, the case was registered under Section 11 read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act and Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). However, after senior police officials interacted with the victim and reviewed additional details, investigators invoked more stringent provisions.

Police later added Section 5(l) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which relates to aggravated penetrative sexual assault. The offence carries severe punishment, including imprisonment extending up to 20 years or more.

Meanwhile, Bhagirath has also filed a counter-complaint in Karimnagar, alleging that the girl’s family attempted to extort Rs 5 crore by threatening to implicate him in a false case.

Police had earlier issued a notice directing Bhagirath to appear before the investigating officer on May 13. However, he did not appear on that date and instead sought additional time through a written communication sent to investigators.

The case has triggered political and public debate in Telangana, especially after the High Court proceedings and the contradictory claims regarding whether Bhagirath was formally arrested or voluntarily surrendered before police authorities.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)