Telangana HC denies interim relief to Bandi Sanjay’s son in POCSO case

In a setback to Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son Bageerath in the POCSO case registered against him, the Telangana High Court on Friday night declined to grant him interim protection from arrest.

Justice T. Madhavi Devi, who resumed hearing the interim anticipatory bail petition filed by Bandi Bageerath on the evening of Friday, 15 May, said she was not inclined to pass any interim order at this stage.

The judge heard arguments until nearly midnight and indicated that orders would be issued on the next vacation court day. Counsel for Bageerath requested interim protection from arrest until the court pronounced its order.

Initially, arguments by counsel representing Bageerath, the victim and the prosecution centred on interim relief. However, the hearing later shifted to the question of anticipatory bail.

During the proceedings, Bageerath’s counsel argued that the court hearing the bail petition had inherent powers to grant interim bail pending final disposal of the anticipatory bail plea. The counsel also argued that the victim’s mother, who filed the complaint, had stated that her daughter entered into a relationship with the accused in 2025 and that the two shared a cordial relationship.

Opposing any relief to the accused, counsel for the victim argued that Bageerath’s father was an influential person and that there was a possibility of evidence being tampered with.

The court had on Thursday said it would pass orders on the interim anticipatory bail plea on Friday. Before arguments began on Friday, the judge expressed concern over what she described as a smear campaign against her on social media and said she was pained by it. The court was informed that the city police commissioner had been alerted about the matter.

Justice Madhavi Devi also said she would recuse herself from hearing the matter if the victim’s counsel had any reservations about arguing before her. However, after requests from the counsel, she agreed to continue hearing the case.

The case was registered on 8 May under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl. The complainant alleged that Bageerath was in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually harassed her. After the victim’s statement was recorded, more stringent sections of the POCSO Act were invoked in the case.

Bageerath had also filed a complaint with police in Karimnagar, alleging that the girl, who had become acquainted with him, invited him to family functions and group gatherings. An FIR was registered based on his complaint as well. In his complaint, Bageerath stated that he accompanied the girl and her family on visits to certain holy places as part of a group of friends because he considered them trustworthy.

He alleged that the girl and her parents later pressured him to marry her and, after he rejected the proposal, demanded money and threatened to file false complaints if he refused to comply.

According to Bageerath, he paid Rs 50,000 to the girl’s father out of fear, but the family later allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore. He further claimed that they threatened that the girl’s mother would die by suicide if he failed to meet their demands.

With PTI inputs