POCSO case: Union Minister Bandi Sanjay's son Bageerath taken into police custody for questioning

The case was registered on May 8 based on a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl.

Hyderabad: Police on Wednesday took Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son Bageerath into custody for questioning in a POCSO case registered against him, official sources said.

Bageerath, who was in judicial custody, was taken into police custody from Cherlapally Central Prison on Wednesday afternoon.

A local court on Tuesday granted police two days' custody of Bageerath, beginning May 27.

Bageerath was arrested on the night of May 16 in connection with the POCSO case and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate.

Earlier, the Telangana High Court had refused to grant him interim protection from arrest.

The case was registered on May 8 under relevant sections of the BNS and the POCSO Act at Petbasheerabad police station, based on a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl.

She alleged that Bageerath had been in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually assaulted her.

After recording the girl's statement, more severe charges under the BNS and POCSO Act were invoked.

Bageerath also filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the girl had introduced herself to him and had invited him to family functions and group gatherings.

In his complaint, he stated that, believing her family to be trustworthy, he had accompanied them on visits to certain religious sites as part of a group.

He further alleged that the girl and her parents later pressured him to marry her, and when he declined, they demanded money and threatened to file false complaints against him if he refused. An FIR was registered based on his complaint as well.