Bandi Bhageerath POCSO case: Telangana HC refuses to grant relief to Bandi Sanjay’s son

The victim in the POCSO case involving Bandi Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, is a minor who appears to have been subjected to harassment. The Telangana High Court appeared to acknowledge these concerns while refusing to grant interim protection from arrest to Bhageerath on May 15. The case hearings, which continued for nearly three hours until 11.45 pm, concluded with Justice T. Madhavi Devi stating that she was not inclined to grant any protection after considering the victim’s statement. The judge reserved her judgment on the interim bail application until May 21.

Bhageerath’s lawyer, senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, relied mainly on two points—the age of the victim and the consensual nature of their relationship. However, both arguments appeared to have been rejected. Doubts regarding the victim’s age were put to rest after the Cyberabad police produced two documents – a birth certificate issued by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the victim’s Class X certificate. Though the certificates reportedly showed a difference of a few months, which is not uncommon in India, both confirmed that she was a minor. The public prosecutor revealed the date of birth to the judge, who agreed to accept it. The victim was born in the second week of August 2008.

Another aspect highlighted by the victim’s counsel, Nageswar Rao, was the alleged existence of chats by Bhageerath, in which he is said to have persuaded her in the name of love. The victim’s mother alleged that Bhageerath did not allow her daughter to go abroad for undergraduate studies, stating that he could not live without her. She alleged that he took psychological control of her in the name of love and later broke up with her after allegedly sexually exploiting her on December 31, 2025, during a New Year's party at a farmhouse in Moinabad, Hyderabad. Bhageerath also allegedly circulated their private photographs and made humiliating comments. According to the mother’s statement, the breakup and the subsequent circulation of the photographs pushed the girl into depression, and she allegedly attempted to take her own life twice – on January 9 and January 26. 

The allegations against Bhageerath are currently under investigation and have not yet been proven in court. The public prosecutor and the victim’s lawyer countered Reddy’s arguments that his client deserved protection against coercive police action. They argued that, given the political stature of Bandi Sanjay Kumar, any interim protection could lead to further obfuscation of the case and intimidation of the victim’s family. The victim’s counsel also highlighted an ongoing social media slander campaign, citing multiple near-identical videos posted by various influencers, which suggested coordinated messaging. The High Court directed the police to act against social media influencers who spread photographs and videos of the victim and her family members. However, no influencer has been arrested so far.

The Cyberabad police and Telangana police have been facing criticism for not taking Bhageerath into custody even eight days after the filing of the FIR. The police also did not issue any Look Out Circular to prevent him from allegedly fleeing abroad. A sarcastic comment by a social media user on X summed up public criticism: “Meanwhile, Telangana public realised the true strength of the police department. For nine days, they couldn’t trace him because he ‘switched off his phone.”

However, speculation is rife that Bhageerath could surrender soon, as the interim bail order has been reserved until May 21. He will have to prove before the court that he has been cooperating with the investigation. Addressing a political event in Hyderabad on May 15, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy appealed to Bandi Sanjay Kumar to have his son surrender so that an impartial investigation into the case could proceed. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and a few civil society organisations have also started conducting protests in Hyderabad and across the state.

The case has also produced a strong public reaction. People are questioning how a POCSO case could be handled with such perceived leniency. Speaking to THE WEEK, C. Vanaja, a senior journalist, said: “People are scared about what’s going on in this case. Not only are powerful leaders allegedly trying to game the system and pressure the victim and her family, but they have also unleashed social media. Several influencers are reading the same script, suggesting they are being paid to make these videos. The personal information of the victim’s family is being disclosed on the internet as part of this smear campaign.”

During the hearings, Justice Madhavi Devi also expressed displeasure over the smear campaign against her on social media, particularly posts claiming that she was likely to grant protection to Bhageerath. She ordered the Hyderabad police commissioner to identify the social media handles running the campaign and take appropriate action. The police also announced that they would arrest social media influencers who disclose the identity of the victim’s family in their videos.

Meanwhile, Bandi Sanjay Kumar has filed an application before the City Civil Court seeking directions to stop the publication and broadcast of allegedly defamatory content against him in connection with his son’s case, and to take down any content already published. The court is yet to pass any order on his request.