Bandi Sanjay’s Son Arrested In POCSO Case, Sent To Judicial Custody After Court Order

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bageerath , was arrested late on Saturday night in connection with a POCSO case registered against him and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate, police said.

According to a senior police official, the accused was taken into custody following coordinated operations by Cyberabad Police teams , which had been tracking his movements after a Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued earlier in the day. In a late-night release, the Cyberabad Commissioner of Police said multiple teams were deployed to various locations, including Karimnagar, Delhi and other areas , to trace and apprehend him.

Acting on credible intelligence, police set up a naka bandi (checkpost) near the police academy area in Hyderabad. Based on further inputs, the Special Operations Team (SOT) eventually apprehended Bageerath at Manchirevula under Narsingi police limits on Saturday night. He was then shifted to the Petbasheerabad police station for further formalities.

Police stated that the accused was examined in the presence of panch witnesses , following which he allegedly admitted to the offence during questioning. After completion of procedural requirements, he was formally arrested and subjected to a medical examination before being produced in court. A magistrate later remanded him to judicial custody .

Earlier, police had intensified efforts to trace him after issuing the LOC and conducting searches across multiple states and cities. Officials also confirmed that teams had examined locations frequently visited by him and places linked to his acquaintances as part of the investigation.

As part of the probe, the statements of the alleged victim (17) and her mother, who is the complainant in the case, were recorded before a magistrate on Saturday. Police said this procedure ensures that statements are formally documented and cannot be easily altered during trial proceedings.

The case was initially registered on May 8 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act , following a complaint filed by the victim’s mother alleging sexual harassment. After recording the victim’s statement, investigators invoked stricter provisions under the POCSO Act.

In response, Bageerath also lodged a counter-complaint, alleging that he was falsely implicated. He claimed that he was in contact with the girl and her family, who allegedly invited him to gatherings and social events. He further alleged that the family later pressured him for marriage and attempted to extort money, claiming he paid ₹50,000 initially, while later demands allegedly escalated to ₹5 crore . He also alleged threats of false implication if demands were not met.

Meanwhile, the Telangana High Court had earlier refused to grant interim protection from arrest while hearing his anticipatory bail petition, dealing a setback ahead of the arrest. The court had observed that it was not inclined to grant interim relief at that stage.

Following the arrest, Bandi Sanjay Kumar stated that he had advised his son to cooperate fully with the investigation and respect the law. In his remarks, he reiterated that his son had appeared before police through legal counsel and would face the process as per law.

Separately, political reactions emerged, with Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) president K Kavitha writing to the Prime Minister, demanding removal of the minister from the Union Cabinet to ensure a fair investigation.

The investigation remains underway under the supervision of senior officers, and further legal proceedings are expected in the case.