Published May 25, 2026 | 5:04 PM ⚊ Updated May 25, 2026 | 5:04 PM
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar.
Synopsis: The Union Minister argued that, though he has not been arraigned as an accused in the POCSO case against his son, the respondents indulged in a coordinated and malicious campaign to implicate and politically target him and his family members.
A few days after winning a favourable court order, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has filed a defamation suit in a Hyderabad civil court seeking ₹1 crore for damages caused by running a “coordinated and malicious campaign” against him.
The same court had passed an ad-interim injunction to remove and delete all defamatory content against Bandi Sanjay in any form from online platforms, social media, television channels, websites or any other medium.
The petition filed on Sunday, 24 May, named 23 respondents, including social media platforms, media houses, journalists and several online accounts. It said the petitioner was being linked to the allegations against his son.
Bandi Sanjay’s son, Bandi Sai Bageerath, was arrested on 16 May under sections of the POCSO Act and BNS for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl.
Also Read: The Minister, the son and the collapse of a narrative
The Union Minister contended that, though he has not been arraigned as an accused, the respondents indulged in a coordinated and malicious campaign to implicate and politically target him and his family members.
The defendants, the petition argued, created a false impression that the petitioner was personally connected with, influencing, or shielding the alleged acts of his son.
Sai Bageerath was arrested after a woman approached the Pet-Basheerabad police, saying her 17-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted. The FIR was registered on 8 May.
The Union Minister’s petition, which named Google, Meta and X among others, referred to around 50 posts on X, 99 Instagram posts and several YouTube links.
The posts included those by the official account of the Congress, BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and RS Praveen Kumar, playback singer Chinmayi Sripada, and journalist Revathi.
Bandi Sanjay has been maintaining that the case against his son was a political hit job targeting him.
