Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday, May 12, issued a statement on behalf of his party saying that Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar’s comments on the POCSO case against Bandi Bageerath were strictly his personal views and do not represent the official stand of the Congress party or the Telangana government.
Prabhakar had reportedly made suggestions that since Bageerath and the victim belong to the same community, get married.
Congress has distanced itself from the minister’s remarks, clarifying “entirely his personal view.” They stated that the party takes the safety and protection of women and children with utmost seriousness and rejects any suggestion that such allegations can be resolved through community intervention, caste-based mediation, or marriage arrangements.
They also slammed attempts to portray the matter as a consensual relationship, saying that under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a minor cannot legally give consent for sexual activity.
Congress further accused Bhagirath’s father, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay, of attempting to introduce a caste narrative into a serious criminal matter and portray himself and his family as victims on that basis.
“The Congress Party has absolutely no reason or necessity to target Bandi Sanjay Kumar or his family. This matter concerns allegations under criminal law, and the legal process is being carried out in accordance with due process,” the statement read.
My words were twisted: Ponnam Prabhakar
Meanwhile, Ponnam Prabhakar also issued a video statement saying that his words had been twisted, that his comment had come in the context of Munnoor Kapu associations attacking the Congress.
“My purpose is for justice to be served to the victim girl; I speak that way so that justice happens to them, with no compromise anywhere.. The Congress Party will stand by the victim girl.. We will fully support them.. Justice must be served to the victim girl,” he stated in a post on X.
POCSO case against Bandi Bageerath
A POCSO case was registered against Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay’s son, Bandi Bageerath at the Pet Basheerabad police station on May 8, 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 two separate occasions.
Meanwhile, 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.
Bhageerath 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 Revanth Reddy’s orders, a Special Investigation Team was constituted and Kukatpally Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj was deputed to head it.
On Tuesday, 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.
The controversy has triggered a political storm in Telangana, with opposition parties attacking the BJP leadership over the case.
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