Bandi Sanjay’s Son Sent to 14-Day Judicial Custody in POCSO Case

Hyderabad, May 2026 : Bandi Sai Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case after being produced before a Magistrate late Saturday night.

Bhageerath was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Cyberabad Police after days of search operations and legal proceedings that drew widespread political and public attention across Telangana. Following his arrest, he was produced before a Magistrate at Medchal, who remanded him to judicial custody till May 29. He was later shifted to Cherlapalli Central Jail.

The arrest came a day after the Telangana High Court declined to grant interim protection from arrest to the accused in the sensitive case involving allegations of sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl.

According to Cyberabad Police, Bhageerath was apprehended on Saturday evening near APPA Junction in Narsingi under the limits of the Narsingi Police Station. The police stated that the arrest was made after reliable intelligence inputs suggested that the accused was moving near the Police Academy area, prompting officers to organise naka-bandi and intensified surveillance.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner M. Ramesh, in a statement issued after midnight, said that the accused was taken into custody around 8:15 p.m. near a tech park at Manchirevula and shifted to the Pet Basheerabad Police Station, where the case had originally been registered on May 8.

The commissioner stated that the SIT questioned Bhageerath for nearly two hours in the presence of panch witnesses before formally arresting him. He was later taken for medical examination and subsequently produced before the Magistrate.

The police also claimed in their official statement that during interrogation, the accused admitted to committing the offence alleged against him. However, no further details of the alleged confession were officially disclosed.

The case was initially registered under Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act along with Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), based on a complaint lodged by the minor victim. However, after further investigation and detailed statements from the victim, the police invoked more stringent provisions.

Cyberabad Police said the statement of the victim girl was recorded before a Magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Following the review of the statement and evidence gathered during the investigation, police added Section 64 (2)(m) of the BNS and Section 5(1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act to the FIR.

Section 5(1) read with Section 6 pertains to aggravated penetrative sexual assault and carries severe punishment, including imprisonment extending up to 20 years or more.

The police investigation was supervised by Kukatpally Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj after the seriousness of the allegations escalated. The SIT conducted extensive searches across multiple locations, including Karimnagar, Delhi, and other places believed to have been visited by Bhageerath. Authorities also issued a Look Out Circular to prevent the accused from leaving the country.

Earlier, police had served a notice directing Bhageerath to appear before the investigating officer on May 13. However, he did not appear on the scheduled date and instead sent a letter requesting two additional days to cooperate with the investigation.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar maintained that his son had voluntarily appeared before the police and was cooperating fully with the investigation process.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Union Minister said that Bhageerath went to the Pet Basheerabad Police Station in the presence of two lawyers and had faith in the judicial process.

“With utmost respect for the law and judiciary, today my son Bandi Bhageerath went before the Telangana Police through our advocates for investigation. I have said this before too: whether it is my own son or a common citizen, everyone is equal before the law,” Bandi Sanjay stated.

He further said that his son consistently maintained that he had committed no wrongdoing and that the family was prepared to address the allegations through legal means.

“After consulting legal experts and placing before them the evidence available with us, we were advised that the matter would be addressed appropriately through the legal process. At the same time, I believe in fully cooperating with the investigation and respecting the judicial system,” the minister added.

Bandi Sanjay also said that although legal proceedings were still pending before the High Court and orders were expected next week, he believed there should be no hesitation in cooperating with the police inquiry.

“I have complete faith in the justice system. Justice may be delayed, but not denied,” he wrote.

On Friday night, the Telangana High Court had refused to grant Bhageerath interim protection from arrest after hearing extensive arguments in the case. Justice T. Madhavi Devi heard the matter for nearly five-and-a-half hours before making it clear that she was not inclined to pass any interim order in favour of the accused after going through the victim’s statement.

The judge indicated that detailed orders on the interim bail petition may be delivered next week.

In a parallel development, Bhageerath also lodged a counter-complaint in Karimnagar alleging that the victim’s family attempted to extort Rs 5 crore by threatening to implicate him in a false case.

The case has triggered significant political debate in Telangana due to the involvement of the son of a Union Minister and the serious nature of the allegations. Opposition parties have demanded a transparent and impartial investigation, while BJP leaders have stated that the law should take its own course.

The Cyberabad Police reiterated that the investigation is continuing and additional evidence is being examined. Officials stated that all legal procedures were being followed meticulously due to the sensitivity of the case.

With the accused now in judicial custody, investigators are expected to continue gathering witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and other materials relevant to the case in the coming days.

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