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Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son Bandi Bhageerath was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a magistrate in the POCSO case. Bageerath is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.
Bhageerath, who was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the night of May 16, was produced before a Magistrate at his residence at Medchal around midnight.
The Magistrate remanded him to judicial custody till May 29.
Bageerath subsequently shifted to the Cherlapalli Jail.
The SIT arrested the accused at APPA junction in Narsingi.
Police said that Bageerath was taken to Pet Basheerabad Police Station, where a case was booked against him on May 8 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.
A press note from Cyberabad Police Commissioner M Ramesh said that efforts were made to apprehend Bageerath by sending police teams to Karimnagar , Delhi and other places. “The teams also searched for the accused in various other places where he frequented, including those houses belonging to his acquaintances. A ‘Look out Circular’ was also issued,” the note said.
“On reliable information that the accused was moving near the police academy, naka-bandi was organised today. Based on reliable information, the SOT team of Cyberabad apprehended the accused Bhageerath near Tech Park, Manchirevula under Narsingi police station limits of Cyberabad and took him into custody at 8.15 pm on May 16, 2026 and shifted him to Petbasheerabad police station,” it said.
Bageerath was produced before the investigating officer who examined him in the presence of panch witnesses in the police station. “The accused admitted to have committed the said offence. Hence the investigating officer arrested him,” the note said.
Bhageerath was questioned by the SIT for nearly two hours. He was later taken to a government hospital for medical examination and was subsequently produced before a Magistrate.
Earlier, MoS Bandi Sanjay posted on social media platform X that Bhageerath was not arrested but he himself appeared before the police for questioning.
"Bhageerath went to Pet Basheerabad Police Station in the presence of two lawyers," MoS Bandi Sanjay said, who posted a picture of his son flanked by two men.
The development came a day after the Telangana High Court refused to grant Bhageerath interim protection from arrest in the case.
MoS Bandi Sanjay said in a post on X that his son appeared before the police.
"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. My son has consistently maintained that he has committed no mistake," the MoS added.
"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. Even though court proceedings are underway and orders are expected next week, and despite advice from our legal team, I felt there should be no hesitation from our side in cooperating with the inquiry. I have complete faith in the justice system. Justice may be delayed, but not denied," Bandi Sanjay said.
The Telangana High Court on Friday refused to grant interim protection from arrest to Bhageerath.
The single-judge vacation bench heard the arguments on the petition till around midnight on May 15 and refused to grant interim protection to the accused.
Justice T Madhavi Devi said that she was inclined to grant any interim order after going through the statement of the victim.
The judge, who heard arguments on Bhageerath's interim bail plea for about five-and-a-half hours, said she may pass the orders next week.
On May 8, a case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against Bhageerath on May 8 on the charges of sexually harassing the minor girl, based on her mother’s complaint
Bageerath also lodged 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.
After Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj spoke to the victim on May 12 to gather more details in the POCSO case, police invoked harsher provisions of the POCSO Act for aggravated sexual assault
Bhageerath was served a notice by the police, directing him to appear before the investigating officer on May 13. He did not appear but sent a letter to the investigating officer, seeking two days' time to appear.
With IANS inputs