Telangana Police begin questioning Union Minister's son Bandi Bhageerath in POCSO case

Hyderabad, May 27 : Cyberabad police on Wednesday began interrogating Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son Bandi Bhageerath in a POCSO case.

The day after the trial court granted police custody of Bhageerath for three days, a police team from Pet Basheerabad Police Station took him into custody from Cherlapalli Prison.

After the medical examination, the police shifted him to the police station for questioning.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kukatpally, Ritiraj, who is supervising the investigation in the case, was questioning Bhageerath based on the statement given by the victim and the evidence collected so far.

Bhageerath was booked by the police on May 8 for alleged sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl. He was arrested on May 16 and was subsequently sent to judicial custody.

Police have already recorded the statements of the accused, the victim, her mother and friends.

The trial court in Malkajgiri on Tuesday pronounced the orders on the petition by the police.

Though the police sought custody for a week, the court granted custody for three days.

A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against Bhageerath on May 8, following allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor girl.

The case was booked under Section 11 read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act and Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

After the investigating officer spoke to the victim, the police invoked Section 5(1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act.

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.

After the High Court refused to grant him interim protection, he was arrested by the police on the night of May 16.

However, Bandi Sanjay claimed that his son surrendered before the police. He said two lawyers accompanied Bhageerath when he surrendered before the police.

Police stated that he admitted to having committed the offence of sexually assaulting a minor girl, after which he was arrested.

Bhageerath was produced before a magistrate the same night and was sent to judicial custody for 14 days.