A city court has placed Bandi Bhageerath, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in police custody for a period of three days due to serious allegations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. This ruling was made on May 26 after the trial court in Malkajgiri responded to a petition from the prosecution requesting custody for investigative purposes. Although the police sought a week-long custody, the court limited it to three days.
The Pet Basheerabad police will now take custody of Bhageerath, who is currently held at Cherlapalli Jail. His legal counsel, Karunasagar, opposed the request for police custody during the hearing, arguing for restrictions on the interrogation process. He requested that any questioning occur between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and that a medical examination take place before and after the interrogation. Additionally, he urged the court to ensure that no coercive methods are employed during questioning.
- Bandi Bhageerath's arrest — he was apprehended following allegations of sexual assault against a minor.
- POCSO Act invoked — serious charges under the POCSO Act were filed against Bhageerath.
- Court limits custody to three days — the prosecution initially sought a longer duration for interrogation.
The case against Bhageerath originated on May 8, when a complaint was lodged at the Pet Basheerabad Police Station alleging that he sexually assaulted a minor girl. Initially, the case was registered under Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act, but after further investigation, the police invoked harsher provisions under Sections 5(1) and 6 of the Act.
After failing to appear before the investigating officer on the requested date, Bhageerath was arrested on the night of May 16. His father, Bandi Sanjay, claimed that his son had surrendered to the police, accompanied by two lawyers. Following his arrest, Bhageerath was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The legal proceedings surrounding this case are ongoing, and the implications for Bhageerath and his family are significant, given the serious nature of the allegations.
