Cyberabad police on Wednesday, May 27, began interrogating Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in connection with a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
A day after a trial court granted the police three-day custody of the accused, a team from Pet Basheerabad Police Station took Bhageerath into custody from Cherlapally Prison. Following a medical examination, he was shifted to the police station for questioning.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Kukatpally) Ritiraj, who is supervising the investigation, questioned Bhageerath based on the victim’s statement and other evidence collected so far.
Bhageerath was booked on May 8 over allegations of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. He was arrested on May 16 and later remanded to judicial custody.
Police have already recorded statements from the accused, the victim, her mother and her friends. The Malkajgiri trial court on Tuesday allowed police custody for three days, though investigators had sought a week-long custody.
Initially, the case was registered under Section 11 read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act, along with Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). After speaking to the victim, the investigating officer added Section 5(1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
Police had earlier served a notice asking Bhageerath to appear before the investigating officer on May 13. However, he did not appear and instead sought two days’ time through a letter.
After the High Court declined to grant interim protection, police arrested him on the night of May 16. While Bandi Sanjay claimed that his son had surrendered before the police in the presence of two lawyers, the police maintained that he was arrested after admitting to sexually assaulting the minor girl.
Bhageerath was produced before a magistrate the same night and sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
