Union minister’s son granted interim bail in POCSO case

A city court has granted interim bail to Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bageerath, who was arrested in connection with a POCSO case registered against him, till June 25.

Bageerath, who was in judicial custody, was granted interim bail by the court on Friday to enable him to write his BBA exams.

Bageerath was arrested on the night of May 16 in connection with the POCSO case and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate.

Earlier, the Telangana High Court had refused to grant him interim protection from arrest. The case was registered on May 8 under relevant sections of the BNS and the POCSO Act at Petbasheerabad police station, based on a complaint lodged by the mother of a 17-year-old girl.

She alleged that Bageerath had been in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually harassed her.

After recording the girl’s statement, more severe charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were subsequently invoked.

Bageerath also lodged a counter-complaint, alleging that the girl had introduced herself to him and had invited him to family functions and group gatherings.

In his complaint, he stated that, believing her family to be trustworthy, he accompanied them on visits to certain religious sites as part of a group.

He further alleged that the girl and her parents later pressured him to marry her, and when he declined, they demanded money and threatened to file false complaints against him if he refused to pay.

An FIR was registered based on his complaint as well.