Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar Hands Over Son To Police In POCSO Case, Says ‘Everyone Must Abide By Law’

Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Saturday handed over his son, Bandi Sai Bhageerath, to Hyderabad police in connection with a POCSO case in which he has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. The development comes amid mounting political pressure, legal proceedings and protests surrounding the case in Telangana.

Bandi Sanjay Says Law Must Apply Equally

Confirming the move through a public statement, Bandi Sanjay said his son was handed over to the police "out of respect for the law" and to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

"Satyameva Jayate! In view of the allegations made against our son Bandi Bhagirath, and out of respect for the law, I handed him over today through advocates for police investigation," he said.

The Union Minister further stressed that everyone must be treated equally before the law regardless of status or political position.

"As I said earlier, before the law, whether it is my son or an ordinary citizen, everyone is equal. All of us must abide by the law. Our son has repeatedly maintained that he has done no wrong. In fact, as soon as the complaint was filed, we initially thought of surrendering him at the police station," he added.

Minister Explains Delay In Surrender

Bandi Sanjay also addressed questions regarding the delay in his son appearing before the police. According to him, the legal team initially believed relief would be granted through the courts.

He said his lawyers expected the matter to be dismissed and anticipated bail would be granted. However, he later decided not to delay the process any further and personally ensured that his son was presented before investigators.

"Even though court orders are likely to come on Monday, out of respect for the judiciary and to avoid any further delay, I sent my son for investigation," he stated.

The surrender came shortly after authorities issued a lookout circular against Bhageerath in the case.

Allegations And Counter-Complaint

The case was registered following a complaint filed by the mother of the 17-year-old girl. According to the FIR, Bhageerath was allegedly in a relationship with the minor and subjected her to sexual harassment and inappropriate physical acts. The complaint also accused him of forcing the girl to consume alcohol.

At the same time, Bhageerath filed a counter-complaint against the girl's family. In his complaint, he alleged that the girl had invited him to family gatherings and functions before her family allegedly began pressuring him to marry her.

He further accused them of attempting to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

Telangana High Court Refuses Interim Relief

The controversy intensified after the Telangana High Court declined to provide interim relief to Bhageerath. The court observed that it was not inclined to pass any interim order at the current stage of the investigation.

The issue has also triggered sharp political reactions across Telangana. K Kavitha wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the removal of Bandi Sanjay from his Union ministerial post to ensure what she described as a "free and fair investigation" into the alleged POCSO case.

Meanwhile, Bandi Sanjay has continued to maintain that the allegations against his son are "baseless" and politically motivated.