HYDERABAD: Nearly seven days after a POCSO case was registered against Bandi Sai Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the survivor's mother purportedly released a press statement appealing to the media, social media platforms and the public not to disclose the victim's identity or circulate any private material related to the case.
She said one of the deepest wounds inflicted upon the family had been the alleged circulation of details capable of revealing the identity of their minor daughter.
No child victim should ever suffer such secondary trauma or be forced to endure societal whispers, public judgment or humiliation after already enduring emotional suffering.
"We respectfully state that protecting the identity and dignity of child victims is not merely a legal obligation under the POCSO Act - it is a moral responsibility of society itself," she added.
She said every such act deepens the trauma of a child who is already emotionally shattered. No parent, she said, should have to watch society destroy the dignity and future of their child.
The mother said the family was deeply hurt by repeated attempts to divert attention towards technical disputes relating to age documents and administrative inconsistencies.
"We categorically state that lawful correction and harmonisation procedures regarding records had already been initiated much prior to the present dispute. We firmly believe that procedural discrepancies in documents cannot erase the lived suffering of a child nor defeat the statutory protections guaranteed under the POCSO Act when the cumulative material and chronology clearly indicate minority during the relevant period," the release reads.
She said the family was only asking for what every ordinary citizen deserves, a fair investigation, protection of evidence, dignity for their daughter and equal application of the law irrespective of political influence, social status or power.
"Today, my family lives under constant fear, emotional exhaustion and uncertainty. I therefore humbly seek protection from intimidation, coercion, social targeting and external pressure," she said.
The note alleged that on May 8, the family approached the Pet Basheerabad police station seeking registration of a case under the POCSO Act.
"Despite disclosing serious allegations involving a minor child, we were made to wait for more than five painful hours. During those hours, my daughter sat there emotionally shattered while we repeatedly pleaded before authorities to hear us. We were informed about territorial jurisdiction issues and possible transfer of the complaint. Only after repeated insistence regarding Zero FIR procedure was acknowledgment issued. For a parent, those hours felt like our child's pain itself was being weighed and questioned," the note reads.
The family later came to know that a case had already been registered at Karimnagar II Town Police Station against them, alleging extortion and blackmail.
"The sequence and timing of these events left us devastated and frightened. Instead of feeling protected as complainants under child protection law, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by fear, counter allegations and social humiliation. We have requested preservation of CCTV footage, General Diary entries, FIR metadata, station records, complaint movement registers and electronic evidence so that the exact chronology may emerge before the law without distortion," she said.
According to the note, the accused sexually harassed the survivor on the night of December 31, following which the family gathered the courage to explore legal means.
It further alleged that on April 22, a person identified as Sangappa visited the victim's residence claiming to represent influential persons connected to the accused and attempted to mediate the matter.
"Thereafter, on April 23, we met Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar at his residence. As parents of a suffering child, we entered that meeting hoping for reassurance, protection and humanity. Instead, we returned home with fear in our hearts. Certain statements made regarding political influence, supporters and consequences for people who 'trouble' the family deeply disturbed and intimidated us. From that day onward, my daughter and our family have lived under constant fear and emotional pressure," she added.
She requested an independent verification and investigation into these circumstances.
"Despite everything our family has suffered, we still place our faith in the Constitution of India, the judiciary and the rule of law. We will continue to cooperate fully with all lawful proceedings and pray that truth, fairness and justice ultimately prevail for our daughter," the survivor's mother added.