Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader RS Praveen Kumar has alleged that police officials and public prosecutors have failed to provide adequate support and information to the victim’s family in the high-profile Pet Basheerabad POCSO case involving Bandi Sai Bageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar.
In a post on X, Praveen Kumar claimed that the accused has approached the court for bail on three occasions and argued that, under the law, the victim’s family should be informed of such developments by the Public Prosecutor. He said the victim’s concerns and objections regarding bail should be placed before the trial court before any decision is taken.
Citing Rule 4(2)(f) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Rules, 2020, he alleged that neither the investigating officers nor the Public Prosecutor have kept the victim’s family informed about the progress of the investigation. He further claimed that copies of evidence recorded in the case have not been shared with the family.
Praveen Kumar also questioned why certain individuals, identified by him as BJP leaders Sanjay and Sangappa, had not been named as accused persons in the case. He further sought an explanation for the delay in filing the chargesheet.
Case registered on May 8
His remarks come amid an ongoing investigation into allegations that Bandi Sai Bageerath sexually assaulted and emotionally manipulated a 17-year-old girl over several months. The case was registered on May 8 following a complaint lodged by the girl’s mother, and Bageerath was arrested by Pet Basheerabad police on May 16.
Notably, a report published by The Hindu on June 6 stated that investigators had already completed most aspects of the investigation and were awaiting forensic examination reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) before filing the chargesheet. The newspaper reported that police had collected electronic devices, digital records and other documentary evidence linked to the case.
Quoting a senior official associated with the investigation, The Hindu reported on June 6: “The FSL report is taking time. We have completed other formalities, including collection of records and documents, crime scene reconstruction during the accused’s two-day police custody and necessary questioning to ascertain the facts. Once the forensic report is received, we will proceed with filing the chargesheet.”
The report further stated that the victim’s statement had been recorded and that investigators reconstructed the alleged crime scene during Bageerath’s police custody. Police teams reportedly examined CCTV footage, booking records, digital and financial transactions, questioned witnesses, and analysed IP-related data to verify locations and timelines mentioned in the victim’s statement.
According to the report, investigators said the accused cooperated with the investigation, including the crime scene reconstruction exercise, and that he allegedly confessed to the offence during the course of the probe. Bageerath remains in judicial custody at Cherlapally Central Jail.
With more than two weeks having passed since its reported that most investigative formalities had been completed and only the FSL report was pending, Praveen Kumar has now questioned the reasons for the continued delay in filing the chargesheet and called for greater transparency from the investigating agencies.
