Telangana HC adjourns Bandi Bhageerath bail plea in POCSO case to Friday
Synopsis
The son of a sitting Union Minister of State for Home Affairs is fighting a POCSO case in the Telangana High Court — with harsher charges now added, a disputed age verification ordered, and the accused having failed to appear before police. The court's Friday order on interim bail is the next critical moment in a case that has already drawn the Chief Minister's direct intervention.
Key Takeaways
The Telangana High Court adjourned the interim bail hearing of Bandi Bhageerath to Friday ; anticipatory bail arguments will be heard the following week.
A POCSO case was registered against Bhageerath on 8 May 2025 over the alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl at a farmhouse in Moinabad .
Police later added Section 5(1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act — covering aggravated penetrative sexual assault — carrying up to 20 years imprisonment or more .
Bhageerath's counsel cited age discrepancies; Justice Madhavi Devi ordered a verification of records to determine the victim's age.
Bhageerath failed to appear before police on Wednesday despite a notice; he sought two more days to appear via a letter to the Station House Officer.
Revanth Reddy personally directed the state DGP to initiate the investigation; DCP Ritiraj was appointed to supervise the probe.
The Telangana High Court on Thursday, 15 May 2025, adjourned to Friday its hearing on the interim bail petition filed by Bandi Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in connection with a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case registered against him in Hyderabad. A single-judge bench presided over by Justice Madhavi Devi heard arguments from both sides before reserving orders on the interim bail for Friday, while indicating that the anticipatory bail arguments would be taken up the following week.
What the Court Heard
Bhageerath's counsel, Niranjan Reddy, urged the court to strike down the POCSO case, contending that the alleged victim is not a minor. He cited discrepancies in official records regarding the victim's age. Justice Devi subsequently ordered a verification of records to determine the victim's age — a step that could have a material bearing on the applicability of the POCSO Act.
The Case Against Bhageerath
A case was registered against Bandi Bhageerath on 8 May 2025 at Pet Basheerabad Police Station following a complaint by a 17-year-old girl who alleged that he sexually assaulted her at a farmhouse in Moinabad. The initial FIR was filed under Section 11 read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act and Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Subsequently, police invoked harsher provisions, adding Section 5(1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act to the FIR. This section deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault and carries a punishment that may extend to 20 years imprisonment or more.
Counter-Complaint and Political Backdrop
Bhageerath also filed a counter-complaint in Karimnagar, alleging that the victim's family attempted to extort ₹5 crore by threatening to implicate him in a false case. The case has drawn sharp political attention given his father's position as a Union minister.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday directed State Director General of Police C.V. Anand to initiate a formal investigation. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj was appointed to supervise the probe and spoke with the victim on 12 May 2025 to gather further details.
Bhageerath's Non-Appearance and Notices
Bhageerath failed to appear before police on Wednesday despite a notice being served to him. Pet Basheerabad police reportedly sent a second notice to his uncle in Karimnagar, identified as the last known location of his mobile phone. Bhageerath subsequently sent a letter to the Station House Officer of Pet Basheerabad Police Station requesting two days' time to appear before investigators.
What Happens Next
The Telangana High Court is expected to pronounce its order on the interim bail on Friday. The outcome will determine whether Bhageerath secures temporary relief before the anticipatory bail arguments are heard the following week — a case that has placed the intersection of political privilege and judicial process under close scrutiny.
Point of View
Not a procedural formality. Yet the defence's move to challenge the victim's age goes to the heart of POCSO's applicability, and a court-ordered records verification means the legal battle could pivot entirely on a documentary question. What is notable is the speed of political response: a Chief Minister directing the DGP personally within days of an FIR is unusual and reflects the sensitivity of the accused's family connections. Whether that intervention is seen as accountability or political point-scoring will depend on how rigorously the investigation proceeds — and whether Bhageerath's continued non-appearance before police is treated as a routine procedural delay or something more consequential.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the POCSO case against Bandi Bhageerath?
A POCSO case was registered against Bandi Bhageerath on 8 May 2025 at Pet Basheerabad Police Station in Hyderabad, following a complaint by a 17-year-old girl who alleged he sexually assaulted her at a farmhouse in Moinabad. The FIR was later upgraded to include Section 5(1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault and carries a punishment that may extend to 20 years imprisonment or more.
Why did the Telangana High Court adjourn the bail hearing?
The single-judge bench of Justice Madhavi Devi adjourned the interim bail order to Friday after hearing arguments from both sides. The court also ordered a verification of records to determine the victim's age, as Bhageerath's counsel cited discrepancies in official documents. Anticipatory bail arguments are scheduled for the following week.
Who is Bandi Bhageerath and why is this case significant?
Bandi Bhageerath is the son of Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs. The case is significant because of his father's senior position in the Central government and because Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy personally directed the state DGP to initiate the investigation.
What is the counter-complaint filed by Bhageerath?
Bhageerath filed a counter-complaint in Karimnagar, alleging that the victim's family attempted to extort ₹5 crore by threatening to implicate him in a false case. Investigators have not publicly confirmed or denied the merits of this counter-complaint.
Why did police send a second notice to Bhageerath's uncle?
Bhageerath failed to appear before police on Wednesday despite a notice being served to him. Pet Basheerabad police reportedly sent a second notice to his uncle in Karimnagar because that was the last identified location of Bhageerath's mobile phone. Bhageerath subsequently wrote to the Station House Officer requesting two additional days to appear.
