The Telangana high court on Thursday granted conditional regular bail to Bandi Bhagirath, son of Union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
A high court bench headed by justice K Sujana directed Bhagirath to execute a personal bond of ₹1 lakh, along with two sureties, and comply with several conditions, including cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation and refraining from influencing witnesses or interfering with the probe.
Bhagirath, 25, was arrested by the Pet Basheerabad police on May 16 after he was booked on May 8 for sexually harassing a 17-year-old girl, with whom he allegedly was in a relationship. Following the recording of the girl’s statement, police invoked additional provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act.
After the high court declined to grant him interim protection from arrest, Bhagirath was taken into custody. While the police maintained that he was apprehended on the outskirts of Hyderabad, his legal team claimed that he had voluntarily surrendered and fully cooperated with the investigation.
He was subsequently remanded to judicial custody and lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison as an undertrial prisoner.
{{/usCountry}}He was subsequently remanded to judicial custody and lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison as an undertrial prisoner.
{{/usCountry}}On June 20, the high court granted Bhagirath interim bail to enable him to appear for his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) supplementary examinations. After completing the examinations, he surrendered before the authorities and returned to prison on June 25 in compliance with the court’s directions.
Thereafter, Bhagirath approached the high court seeking regular bail. Arguing on his behalf during the hearing, senior advocate T Niranjan Reddy said Bhagirath was a student who had already spent more than 45 days in judicial custody, causing significant disruption to his education and personal life.
Reddy contended that the allegations stemmed from a consensual relationship and that criminal proceedings in such circumstances were not legally sustainable. He assured the court that Bhagirath would strictly adhere to any bail conditions.
Opposing the bail plea, public prosecutor Palle Nageswara Rao submitted that the FIR had been registered on May 8 and that the investigation had progressed substantially, with witness statements recorded and evidence collected.
He informed the court that the investigation was nearing completion and the charge sheet would be filed within the prescribed time. The prosecution argued that granting bail at this stage could enable the accused to influence witnesses and adversely affect the investigation.
After hearing arguments from both sides, justice K Sujana on July 6 reserved the matter for orders. On Thursday, she pronounced the judgement granting conditional bail to Bhagirath.