Hyderabad: Bandi Sai Bageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has asked the Telangana High Court to stop television channels, social media platforms and digital outlets from carrying content on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case registered against him, alleging a “sustained media trial”.
The writ petition was filed on Tuesday. He has sought directions restraining media houses, broadcasters, digital publishers, social media platforms and others acting on their behalf from circulating, reposting, transmitting or disseminating material on the case.
Bageerath, 23, claims that despite the investigation being underway, several channels and online platforms have portrayed him as guilty and circulated morphed and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images and videos of him and his father. He has also alleged that some content targeted the judge who heard his anticipatory bail petition, and made allegations against lawyers and public prosecutors associated with the case.
Google LLC, Meta Platforms Inc., X Corp., Facebook, Instagram, YouTube channels and several television and digital media organisations have been named respondents. The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) are also respondents.
The First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Friday, May 8, at Pet Basheerabad police station on a complaint by the mother of a minor girl. It was initially booked under Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act, 2012. The provisions were later altered to Section 5(1) read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act and Section 64(2)(M) of the BNS. The complaint alleges sexual abuse and rape.
Bageerath remained untraceable for days after the FIR, skipped a police summons and approached the High Court for anticipatory bail. On Friday, May 15, the court refused him interim protection from arrest. He then appeared before the police and was sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
In his petition, Bageerath says he was granted interim bail on Friday, June 19, and regular bail on Thursday, July 9. While granting bail, the High Court barred him from giving interviews, press statements, podcasts, public comments or media briefings on the case, directly or indirectly, until the trial concludes. It also directed him not to contact the victim or witnesses.
Sanjay had earlier reportedly approached a city civil court seeking to stop the media from linking his name to the case.
This post was last modified on October 7, 2026 3:24 pm