HYDERABAD: Bandi Sai Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, did not appear before the Pet Basheerabad police by the 2 pm deadline on Wednesday in connection with a POCSO case.
Police had served a notice to Bhageerath on Tuesday directing him to appear for questioning as part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, posters surfaced in Chandanagar and a few other areas on Wednesday morning claiming that Bhageerath, an accused in the case, was absconding.
According to police, the case was initially registered under Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Based on the survivor’s statement, the charges were later altered to include aggravated penetrative sexual assault under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act.
The notice was served to Bhageerath’s maternal uncle, Ch Vamshi Krishna, directing him to produce the accused before the investigating officer at the Pet Basheerabad police station by Wednesday afternoon.
The case was registered on May 8 following a complaint lodged by the survivor’s mother. In her complaint, she alleged that Bhageerath sexually exploited the minor survivor over a period of time on the pretext of marriage and later circulated her private photographs, causing further distress.
Following the registration of the case, police launched an investigation.
On May 11, Cyberabad Commissioner M Ramesh directed Kukatpally DCP Ritiraj to personally supervise the probe.
Meanwhile, Bhageerath has approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The petition is expected to come up for hearing on Thursday.