Published Jun 22, 2026 | 9:59 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 22, 2026 | 9:59 PM
RS Praveen Kumar (Credit: T News)
Synopsis: RS Praveen Kumar of BRS criticised the Telangana government and the police on Bandi Bageerath’s interim bail. A copy of the petition being circulated on social media is now under heavy scrutiny due to glaring irregularities.
RS Praveen Kumar, State General Secretary of Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti (BRS), held a press conference at 6 PM on Monday, 22 June, at Telangana Bhavan, to address the interim bail granted to Bandi Sai Bageerath, who was arrested in a widely reported POCSO case.
Bageerath, who has been in judicial custody at Cherlapally Central Prison since 16 May, 2026, was granted the interim bail on 19 June by an Additional Sessions Court in Medchal-Malkajgiri, with the stated reason that he needed to appear for examinations at Mahindra University, Hyderabad.
Documents submitted to the court are being shared on social media, with people pointing out multiple factual inconsistencies in the petition.
Also Read: POCSO sections against Bandi Bageerath revised
Bageerath has been enrolled in a three-year BBA (Competitive Business Analytics) programme at Mahindra University since 2023. The exams in question are neither his final examinations nor standard supplementary exams; they are special supplementary exams. The regular supplementary exams for the semester were held between 19 and 30 May 2026, days after his arrest.
The sequence of events leading to the bail petition raises further questions. Mahindra University sent Bageerath an email on 15 June informing him of the schedule for the special supplementary exam. The last date for paying the supplementary exam fee was 18 June. The interim bail petition was filed on 19 June. The exams began on 22 June.
According to the document submitted to the court as evidence, Bageerath has backlogs in Supply Chain Analytics, Portfolio Management, Leadership & Teamwork and AI/ML Approaches to Decision Making.
However, according to the timetable being circulated online, Supply Chain Analytics and Portfolio Management are both scheduled on 23 June between 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm. Similarly, Leadership & Teamwork and AI/ML Approaches to Decision Making are both listed on 24 June between 11 am and 1 pm.
The clashing exam dates and timings triggered a social media debate over whether the examination schedule was used as a pretext to secure a temporary release.
Speaking to the media, Praveen Kumar accused the Telangana Government of safeguarding Bageerath and his father, Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay.
Praveen Kumar alleged that Telangana police, under the Revanth Reddy government, mishandled the case from the start. He said they initially booked him only under bailable sections.
“They treated the victim like she was the criminal. They filed another case against her at the same time in Karimnagar and accused her of honeytrapping,” he reminded. He also criticised the Telangana Police for failing to prosecute social media accounts that publicised the victim’s personal photos and videos.
“Revanth Reddy tried to wash his hands off this case by saying he couldn’t do anything. He was pleading with Bandi Sanjay to surrender his son. It is shameful how a Chief Minister of a state, who also handles the Home Affairs portfolio, said something like that,” said Praveen Kumar.
RS Praveen Kumar shared that the victim’s family was reportedly not informed of the bail hearing, which is a mandatory requirement under Rule 4(2)(f) of the POCSO Rules, 2020. The investigating officer and Public Prosecutor are legally required to keep the victim’s family informed about case developments.
Praveen Kumar further claimed that the victim’s mother shared with him that they did not receive any official communication from authorities and were always asked to go to the next person when she tried to reach out. He had already publicly flagged this lapse, noting that Bageerath had made three bail attempts without the victim’s family being notified even once.
“Why are you treating the victim and her family in such an inhumane way? What did she do to make you so angry? Why are you not sending officers to her home to brief the family?” Praveen Kumar questioned the Chief Minister, accusing Revanth Reddy of colluding with Bandi Sanjay.
“In all the statements recorded so far, the victim’s family had mentioned the names of Sanjay and Sangappa (BJP Spokesperson). Accomplices should also be examined. Why have you not filed any cases against them? Why were they not examined?” asked Praveen Kumar.
“A powerful man’s son sexually assaults a minor girl, and you send him out on bail one morning in a Fortuner car like he is the king. And you did all of this secretly,” Praveen Kumar lambasted the government.
Praveen Kumar also raised concerns about irregularities in the bail petition regarding the exam timetable. He said, ”I am not against education. I will always support people wanting to study. But two exams in one slot, at the same time in the same hall? Viva voce scheduled a few days after the exam? This looks rushed for the bail petition.”
He also questioned why Bandi Bageerath, like the rest of the prisoners, could not pursue a degree at Dr BR Ambedkar Open University, which has a dedicated centre at the prison.
Also Read: Practise the virtues of Lord Rama that you often preach, Mr Bandi Sanjay
Praveen Kumar alleged that the Revanth Reddy government bypassed existing procedures and accused them of giving special privileges to Bageerath.
“The prison manual says they can all study and write exams there. Many prisoners do it. If it is absolutely necessary to write exams at the university, officials must file an affidavit. Police should take him to the exam hall and bring him back to prison. This must be followed for all exams,” he said.
He criticised the public prosecutor for failing to flag these lapses. “This happened with support from the Telangana government. That’s why the order copy has not been made public,” he alleged.
Praveen Kumar urged the Hon’ble Justice to reconsider Bageerath’s bail. He said that he is willing to take legal action against the public prosecutor and other concerned authorities who failed to communicate with the victim’s family.
Praveen Kumar further noted that women’s safety was prioritised under K Chandrasekhar Rao’s (KCR) government. He said that the BRS government had launched several programs for women. “We constituted She Teams, hired a record number of women police personnel, hired women receptionists in police stations. We opened many Bharosa centres and Sakhi centres. Whenever there were cases against women, KCR and BRS never compromised,” he said.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
