Published May 10, 2026 | 11:42 AM ⚊ Updated May 10, 2026 | 11:42 AM
Bageerath (right) with his father, Minister Bandi Sanjay. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Incriminating details of the alleged sexual harassment faced by a minor at the hands of Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay’s son have come to light by way of a complaint lodged by the survivor’s mother and the subsequent report filed by the police before a Hyderabad magistrate.
Incriminating details of the alleged sexual harassment faced by a minor at the hands of Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay’s son have come to light by way of a complaint lodged by the survivor’s mother and the subsequent report filed by the police before a Hyderabad magistrate.
Raising serious questions about the morality of Bandi Sanjay continuing as a Union Minister, the survivor’s mother directly accused him of being physically present at a meeting where “pressure” was brought on them to compromise and drop any plan for a legal remedy.
The statements made at this meeting caused “fear, intimidation and apprehension in our minds,” the mother said.
Moral questions apart, whether a fair and transparent investigation by the Telangana police would be possible in the event of the accused’s father remaining in a high political position is the other question.
The Pet Basheerabad police in the outskirts of Hyderabad on 8 May, registered an FIR against Bandi Sai Bageerath (FIR No 684/2026) under Sections 74/75 of BNS and Section 11 read with 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. As is required under the POCSO Act, the Inspector of Pet Basheerabad station filed a report before the IX Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate, Cyberabad, at Medchal.
According to the facts of the case, submitted by Inspector K Vijayavardhan to the court, the complainant (minor girl’s mother) mentioned a sustained pattern of “grooming, emotional manipulation and sexual exploitation” since June, 2025.
The accused, on false promise of marriage and by gaining psychological control of the minor to isolate her, subjected her to repeated physical and sexual abuse at various locations, mostly farmhouses, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The complainant named specific apartments and farmhouses where the alleged exploitation took place.
The Station House officer also submitted to the court the four-page complaint given by the girl’s mother, which has a detailed account of what exactly transpired during the course of the relationship between Bageerath and the minor girl.
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The excerpts from the complaint, in the words of the mother, are as follows:
1) My daughter, being a minor at all relevant points of time, was approached and gradually drawn into a relationship by Bageerath through mutual contacts in and around June 2025, initially via in-person introduction and subsequently through social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat.
2) Bageerath deliberately built trust with my daughter and induced her into a relationship by making false assurances of marriage upon her attaining majority, thereby exploiting her emotional vulnerability. Over a period of time, he exercised continuous psychological control, including restricting her educational decisions, isolating her from independent choices, and subjecting her to repeated emotional blackmail.
3) There are many communications which clearly indicate that Bageerath was in a state of remorse and expressed regret for the harm caused to my daughter. His messages reflect emotional breakdown, repeated apologies, and acknowledgement of his conduct, thereby corroborating the physical and mental trauma inflicted upon my daughter. The communications further reveal persistent demands for physical involvement.
4) My daughter disclosed that on one occasion, in my own apartment’s basement, he tried to kiss and touch inappropriately in spite of her resistance. On 5 December 2025, he took my daughter to Golf View apartments at Nanakramguda (a high-end locality in Hyderabad) along with two other friends. They forced her to stay for 2–3 days despite her resistance, and sexual favours were repeatedly sought from her. My daughter faced similar incidents at Lux Charan farm stay at Moinabad previously on 13 November 2025.
5) I further wish to bring to your notice a serious incident that happened in the intervening night of 13 December 2025 and 1 January 2026, at a farmhouse (Ananya farms) located at Moinabad (New Year’s Eve). On that occasion, my daughter was present along with Bageerath and his friends, consisting of five boys and two girls. Despite resistance, my daughter was pressured to consume alcohol (Breezer). Between 1.30 and 2.30 am, Bageerath, in an intoxicated condition, entered her room and forcibly subjected her to physical acts such as molesting her, touching inappropriately xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx (redacted to prevent graphic description of assault), and urging for sex. Being a minor and placed in a vulnerable situation, she was unable to effectively resist.
6) This incident caused severe distress and constitutes a serious act of coercion and sexual exploitation of a minor.
7) I am submitting, along with this complaint, screenshots of chat history, and they clearly reveal a consistent pattern of abusive conduct, including repeated admissions of hurting the victim, seeking apologies and acknowledging both physical and emotional harm.
8) On 7 January 2026, the accused abruptly terminated the relationship and refused to take responsibility for his actions. Later, on 13 January, he contacted me (mother) through messages in a state of panic, expressed concern about my daughter’s condition and sought intervention. The messages reflect his awareness of the mental trauma and distress caused to my daughter.
9) As a direct consequence of the sustained abuse and abandonment, my daughter attempted self-harm on 19 and 25 January 2026.
10) Subsequently, we received information that Bageerath had been circulating private information/photos of my daughter, further aggravating her distress.
11) When we initiated steps to seek legal remedy, we began receiving calls and indirect pressure to withdraw the matter. On 21 April 2026, a malicious complaint was lodged at Nirmal police station by a friend of Bageerath, alleging that my daughter was attempting to blackmail the accused. The timing of the complaint indicates a concerted effort and criminal conspiracy to derail justice.
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12) On 22 April 2026, one Sangappa, claiming to be associated with influential persons, facilitated a meeting with Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Union Home Minister), which happened a day later, on 23 April. During the interaction, under the guise of counselling my daughter and his son on the way forward, we were subjected to indirect pressure to compromise and advised to sign documents at Nirmal police station. (That the Nirmal police have acquired notoriety for registering multiple cases against political opponents of the ruling Congress is another story.)
13) The statements made during the above meeting caused fear, intimidation and apprehension, considering the minor status of my daughter. I respectfully submit that the entire sequence of events clearly falls as offences under POCSO, where consent of a minor is immaterial in law.
A senior judge of a High Court told South First that in the normal course, the accused has to be arrested soon after such a complaint is lodged. As per the Act, a DSP-level officer has to investigate the case, and normal principles for the grant of bail by courts are not applied.
