A political controversy has erupted in Telangana after a POCSO case was registered against Sai Bageerath, son of Union Minister Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) demanded the Union Minister's dismissal and a CBI probe into the episode. The party also accused the ruling Congress of trying to shield the accused.
A case under POCSO Act was registered against Sanjay Kumar's son following allegations of sexual harassment of a minor girl. According to a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, the accused was in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually harassed her.
However, the Union Minister’s son, in a counter complaint, alleged extortion and criminal intimidation by the teen and her parents.
The BRS mounted an all-out attack over the issue and demanded the dismissal of Sanjay from the Union Cabinet and a CBI probe into the whole episode, reminding the BJP that Prime Minister Modi, who spoke highly of the ‘Beti Bachao’ andolan, must speak about the incident.
The BRS working president KT Rama Rao questioned the delay in taking legal action against the Union Minister’s son. He asked whether Sanjay and his son were being given any special exemption under the law.
“Bandi Sanjay should take moral responsibility and resign immediately, or alternatively, be dismissed from the Union Cabinet without delay,” KTR demanded.
Meanwhile, the name of Bandi Sanjay was dropped from the list of invitations issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for an official programme being organised here on the occasion of dedication of the Malkapur Terminal project of the Indian Oil Corporation to the nation.
Meanwhile, BRS leader and former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar mounted a scathing attack on Bandi Sanjay and also the Congress government on the issue. He alleged that the victim and her parents had to wait for over eight hours at Petbasheerabad police station to get the complaint registered, while police officers in Karimnagar–the native district of the Union Minister–readily issued an FIR based on a complaint of extortion filed by Sai Bageerath against the minor girl and her parents.
Praveen Kumar pointed out that while the FIR in the Karimnagar case was released into the public domain immediately, Cyberabad Commissionerate officials were silent on the case against the Union Minister’s son. He demanded that the statement of the victim and her parents be recorded by a magistrate. He said the lives of the complainant and her parents were under threat and the police would be held responsible if anything happened to them.
Praveen Kumar appealed to BJP women leaders to speak on the issue as the matter concerned the safety and security of nearly two crore women and girls in Telangana. He urged Bandi Sanjay to cooperate with the investigation by surrendering his son to Petbasheerabad police to facilitate the probe. He also pointed out that the sections of law invoked were very light and would ensure a ‘station bail’ for the accused, Sai Bageerath.
Apprehending a threat to the life of the victim and her family members, Praveen Kumar recalled that BJP supporters attacked the camp office of BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar in Karimnagar and damaged the vehicle of BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy last week. “When supporters of a Union Minister can attack an MLA’s office and damage another MLA’s car, there is every possibility of the victim being harmed,” he charged.
He also appealed to Telangana Director General of Police CV Anand to direct Karimnagar II Town and Petbasheerabad police to preserve CCTV footage related to the case proceedings. He said destruction of evidence could help the accused escape punishment.
He further claimed that the victim’s mother accused Sai Bageerath of physically assaulting her daughter on three occasions. He also alleged that the accused drugged and assaulted the girl on New Year’s night. Despite these allegations, he said the police delayed registering the complaint.
Accusing Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of shielding the Union Minister, he alleged that the charges in the case were diluted only after the intervention of the Chief Minister. “ The government should constitute a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter,” he demanded.
The BRS leader also criticised BJP supporters on social media for allegedly running a campaign against the victim’s family by describing the incident as a “honey trap”.
Also read: Union Minister Sanjay Kumar's son booked under POCSO
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