Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son Bageerath was arrested by Cyberabad Police in a POCSO case and later remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate.
Police said special teams tracked and detained him near Hyderabad after searches in Karimnagar, Delhi and other locations linked to him.
The case was filed on May 8 based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl alleging sexual harassment and a relationship with the minor; the Telangana HC had earlier refused interim relief from arrest.
Bandi Sanjay’s Son Arrested in POCSO Case, Sent to Judicial Custody
Cyberabad Police nabbed Bageerath after a lookout notice and searches across multiple locations; Telangana HC had denied interim protection from arrest.
Summary
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son, Bageerath, was arrested on Saturday night in a POCSO case registered against him, and later remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate. "The offender has been taken into custody, a senior police official told PTI.
The Cyberabad Commissioner of Police declared in a statement released after midnight that several teams had been sent to Karimnagar, Delhi in order to capture Bageerath.
The teams also searched other places he frequented, including the homes of acquaintances.
A police checkpoint, also known as a bandi, was set up in response to trustworthy intelligence that Bageerath was close to the city's police academy.
Based on reliable information, the Special Operations Team (SOT) of the Cyberabad police eventually apprehended Bageerath at Manchirevula, within the Narsingi police limits, and took him into custody on Saturday night. After that, he was moved to the police station at Petbasheerabad.
The investigating officer questioned Bageerath in front of "panch witnesses," or impartial citizens. "The accused admitted to having committed the offence. Hence, the IO arrested him," the release said.
Bageerath was brought before a court after a medical examination, and the magistrate remanded him to judicial detention.
In a statement, Bandi Sanjay said he had urged his son to cooperate with the police soon after the complaint was registered last week.
However, Bageerath, who has repeatedly maintained that he has done no wrongdoing, presented evidence in his favour to his lawyers, the union minister said.
According to Bandi Sanjay, the lawyers opined that the case would be quashed and that Bageerath would get bail, which led to the delay.
Meanwhile, Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) president K Kavitha, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanded the removal of Sanjay Kumar, MoS (Home), from the Union Cabinet "to ensure a free and fair investigation in the POCSO case involving his son." In a setback for Bageerath, the Telangana High Court denied his request for interim protection from arrest on Friday night.
Hearing an anticipatory bail petition filed by Bageerath, the court said it was not inclined to grant any interim relief at this stage.
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The counsel for Bageerath had requested interim protection from arrest until orders on the petition were passed.
The case was registered under relevant sections of the BNS and the POCSO Act on May 8 against Bageerath based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, who alleged that he was in a relationship with her daughter and sexually harassed her.
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