Hyderabad: In a significant development, Bandi Bageerath, the accused in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case involving an alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old victim, was arrested at Appa Junction near the Telangana Police Academy in Narsingi on Saturday evening, May 16, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner Ramesh Reddy said.
Earlier, there were reports that the 25-year-old had surrendered to the police. However, Commissioner Reddy has clarified that he was arrested, and not otherwise. Cyberabad police claimed that Bageerath was travelling in a car when the car was stopped, and he was taken into custody.
Bageerath is expected to be sent to Pet Basheerabad Police Station. He will be produced before the magistrate soon, after which he will be remanded.
He is expected to be sent to the Cherlapally Central Prison, after being produced before the magistrate by 11 pm. Reports stated that there was heavy police presence at Pet Basheerabad police station, and also at the magistrate’s residence on Saturday night.
On the other hand, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged in a statement to media that he himself handed over his son to the police. He also posted a picture of his son accompanied by his lawyers. The authenticity of the picture from being current has been disputed.
It is pertinent to mention that the Telangana High Court had refused to grant any interim relief to Bageerath against arrest on Saturday, May 15. The vacation bench of the High Court comprising Justice T Madhavi Devi has reserved the order to be pronounced next week.
Meanwhile, Panchnama was done by the revenue officials and the police officials at different places where 4 instances of the alleged sexual assault on the seventeen-year-old-victim took place, as being claimed by her mother in her complaint.
Background of the POCSO case
On May 8, all hell broke loose at the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay’s household after a POCSO case was registered against his son, Bandi Bageerath, at the Pet Basheerabad police station, following allegations made by the family of a 17-year-old girl.
According to the complainant, Bageerath made the victim consume alcohol and sexually assaulted her at a farmhouse on the outskirts of Hyderabad on three separate occasions.
Bageerath filed a counter-complaint with police in Karimnagar alleging extortion and intimidation by the girl and her parents. He said the girl became acquainted with him and invited him to family functions and group gatherings.
He alleged that the girl’s family later pressured him to marry her and demanded money after he refused. He claimed that he paid Rs 50,000 to the girl’s father out of fear, but the family later demanded Rs 5 crore and threatened to file false complaints if he failed to comply.
Following Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s orders, a Special Investigation Team was constituted and Kukatpally Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj was deputed to head it.
On May 12, the Petbasheerabad Police altered the charges of the POCSO from harassment of a child to sexual assault.
The earlier section, Section 11 (sexual harassment of a child), covers non-physical acts involving sexual intent, such as suggestive gestures, pornography, stalking, or showing sexual body parts. The new Section 5(1) (Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault) involves penetrative sexual assault, committed under certain aggravating circumstances. This is a non-bailable offence with a minimum of 20 years.
On May 15, the High Court refused to provide any interim relief to Bageerath.
The controversy has triggered a political storm in Telangana, with opposition parties attacking the BJP leadership over the case.
(More details will be added to this report)
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