HYDERABAD: Justice EV Venugopal of the Telangana High Court has directed social media platforms and television channels not to telecast or publish content relating to a POCSO case registered against Bandi Sai Bhageerath, son of Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in May.
The court also directed the I&B and IT ministries, the Home Secretary and Director General of Police of Telangana, and various social media platforms, including Google LLC, Meta Platforms, X Corp, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, to file their counter-affidavits within four weeks.
Senior counsel Avinash Desai, appearing for Bhageerath, reminded the court that the case was registered at Petbasheerabad Police Station under Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act, 2012, based on allegations of sexual abuse and rape. He said Bhageerath was granted regular bail on July 9.
Counsel submitted that despite the grant of bail, television channels and social media platforms continued to broadcast material concerning the case, allegedly causing reputational damage to Bhageerath and his father. He also alleged that private family functions were being filmed and linked to the case.
Counsel further submitted that the judge who dealt with the anticipatory bail proceedings and advocates representing Bhageerath had also been targeted by allegations, describing the coverage as a sustained “media trial”.
The high court adjourned the matter by four weeks for filing of counter-affidavits by the respondents.
