Hyderabad: A local court Tuesday granted police two days’ custody of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bageerath, in a POCSO case registered against him.
Police had sought three days’ custody, but the court allowed two days’, beginning May 27.
Bageerath was arrested on the night of May 16 in connection with the POCSO case and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody by a magistrate.
He is currently lodged at Cherlapally Central Prison. Earlier, the Telangana High Court had refused to grant him interim protection from arrest.
The case was registered May 8 under relevant sections of the BNS and the POCSO Act at Petbasheerabad police station, based on a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl.
She alleged that Bageerath had been in a relationship with her daughter and had sexually harassed her.
After recording the girl’s statement, more severe charges under the BNS and POCSO Act were subsequently invoked.
Bageerath also filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the girl had introduced herself to him and had invited him to family functions and group gatherings.
In his complaint, he stated that, believing her family to be trustworthy, he accompanied them on visits to certain religious sites as part of a group.
He further alleged that the girl and her parents later pressured him to marry her, and when he declined, they demanded money and threatened to file false complaints against him if he refused to pay.
An FIR was registered based on his complaint as well.
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