Son absconding in Pocso case, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay calls it extortion bid

Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the junior Minister for Home Affairs, said his son should be punished if found guilty in a Pocso case filed against him. The BJP leader from Telangana insisted his family was being targeted and maligned. Bandi Sai Bhageerath has been accused of "grooming and molesting" a minor, and is absconding.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said his son, Bandi Sai Bhageerath, should be punished if found guilty in a Pocso case, while alleging that it was an attempt to malign his family. The BJP leader from Telangana made the remarks, his first on the case, on Tuesday, saying it was also an attempt at extortion.

The case stems from a complaint filed by a woman who alleged that Bandi Sai Bhageerath groomed her 17-year-old daughter, promised marriage, engaged in inappropriate physical contact, and molested her at a farmhouse in Moinabad (in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district) during the 2025-26 New Year's celebrations.

Clips of Sai Bhageerath being violently confronted by a group of people over the accusations have gone viral online. There is no clarity as to when the clips are from.

While police in Telangana have filed a Pocso case, the investigating officer said that Sai Bhageerath was absconding.

WHAT BANDI SANJAY SAID ABOUT POCSO CASE AGSINST SON

Addressing a Hindu Ekta Yatra in his hometown Karimnagar on Tuesday, Bandi Sanjay said the allegations had caused him and his family distress.

"My son said he made no mistake. He said 'we were friends, later split'. He said he made no mistake and would come out of this with honesty. I am not defending him. Whoever makes mistake, including my son, all are equal before the law. If my son has made a mistake, he should [definitely] be punished," a visibly emotional Bandi Sanjay said during the Yatra.

Earlier this month, a Pocso case was registered against Bandi Sai Bhageerath, at Pet Basheerabad police station in Hyderabad's Cyberabad following a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl. The FIR (No. 684/2026), registered on May 8, initially invoked Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act.

The police in Telangana later added more serious sections, like Section 5 (l) and Section 6 of the POCSO Act based on the survivor's statement, according to a police notice dated May 12.

Bandi Sanjay, without referring to the case, had on Sunday said that he would "never do anything to bring shame to the party". The remark was made at a public event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy were present.

"Today we are all working for the party. Every BJP worker works with pride, with the slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. I am a BJP worker who walks with his head held high. I will never do any such thing that diminishes the dignity of the party," Bandi said.

While Union Minister Bandi Sanjay has maintained that the law should take its course, questions have been raised in political circles about the handling of the case involving his son.

DEVELOPMENTS IN BANDI SANJAY'S SON'S CASE SO FAR

According to the detailed complaint of the mother of the minor girl, the alleged relationship began around June 2025 through common acquaintances and continued on social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat.

The complainant alleged that Bhageerath gained the minor's trust by promising marriage after she turned 18, while allegedly exerting emotional pressure, controlling her studies, and isolating her. Several instances of inappropriate physical contact and demands for sexual favours were mentioned, occurring at residential apartments and farm stays, the mother claimed.

The complaint highlighted the events of the night of December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026, at a farmhouse in Moinabad, where the girl was reportedly coerced into consuming alcohol and molested.

Screenshots of chats submitted as evidence reportedly show the accused expressing regret while continuing to seek physical intimacy.

After the alleged relationship ended in early January 2026, the minor suffered mental trauma, the minor's mother claimed. She also claimed pressure to withdraw the case, including a meeting with Bandi Sanjay Kumar on April 23, reported Abdul Basheer of India Today TV.

The mother filed the complaint on May 8 after approaching the police station. Police have recorded the survivor's statement and are examining call detail records. The accused is currently absconding, with his phone switched off for the past three days, according to Investigating Officer Rithiraj.

A notice was issued on May 12 directing Bhageerath's maternal uncle to appear with him at the police station by 2 pm on Wednesday.

WHAT CONGRESS, BRS SAID ON BANDI SANJAY'S SON'S CASE

The case has sparked a slew of political reactions in Telangana.

BRS State General Secretary RS Praveen Kumar alleged delays and political pressure when the family tried to file the complaint on May 8. In an X post, Kumar claimed police initially refused to register it for nearly five hours and mentioned "powerful people" behind the case.

Praveen Kumar demanded a Special Investigation Team under a woman DGP-rank officer, a recording of the survivor's statement before a magistrate, and protection for the family. He accused the Congress's Revanth Reddy government of Telangana and Bandi Sanjay of protecting the accused and questioned the silence of the women ministers of the state.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ponnam Prabhakar stated that the Telangana government was not acting with a vendetta. "As a Union Minister, you should have been the first to seek a fair and transparent enquiry into the allegations made against your son," he said in a post on X.

"The questions are simple. Did the girl meet you or not? Was your son in contact with the girl or not? These are the facts that must be established. The Telangana government has no discrimination against anyone. It is the responsibility of the government to protect the daughters of Telangana," he added in the post.

Prabhakar added that the probe was being conducted by a woman DCP and CM Revanth Reddy had directed an impartial enquiry.

Popular Telugu actor Manoj Manchu has also expressed concern over the case.

"The recent Pocso case involving Bandi Bhageerath has deeply disturbed me. I strongly believe the POCSO Act was created to make sure every minor girl gets justice no matter what. Power, position, influence or status should never come in the way," Manchu posted on X, calling for urgency, transparency, and accountability, stating that justice must be seen to be done.

The allegations against Bandi Sai Bhageerath first came to light with the registration of the complaint on May 8. By May 11 (Monday), reports emerged that the accused was absconding. On May 12, the police notice to Bandi Sai Bhageerath's maternal uncle surfaced, and Bandi Sanjay Kumar addressed the yatra, reiterating his son's denial while accepting the possibility of punishment if guilty.

Police have said evidence is being verified and further action will follow the enquiry. Bhageerath, while reportedly on the run, has denied the charges and filed a counter-complaint in Karimnagar alleging extortion. The investigation into the complainant's allegations continues with the Cyberabad police.

- Ends
(With inputs from Abdul Basheer)