Telangana Police on Wednesday took Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bageerath, into custody for questioning in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, officials said.
Bageerath, who was in judicial custody, was taken from Cherlapally Central Prison on Wednesday afternoon after a local court granted police two days’ custody from May 27.
He was arrested on May 16 in connection with the case and later remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate. Earlier, the Telangana High Court had refused to grant him interim protection from arrest.
The case was registered on May 8 at Petbasheerabad police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act, based on a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl.
She alleged that Bageerath was in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually assaulted her. Following the girl’s statement, more serious charges were added under the BNS and POCSO provisions, police said.
Bageerath has also filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the girl had introduced herself to him and invited him to family functions and group gatherings. He said he believed her family to be trustworthy and accompanied them on visits to religious sites.
He further alleged that the girl and her parents later pressured him to marry her and, after he refused, demanded money and threatened to file false complaints. An FIR was registered based on his complaint as well.