The high profile POCSO case involving Bandi Sai Bhageerath took a dramatic turn after he surrendered before the police following days of intense speculation and political attention. The son of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar appeared before the Basheerabad police after failing to secure relief from the High Court.
The surrender came shortly after Cyberabad Police announced that five special teams had been formed to trace him. Officials had also issued a Look Out Circular as part of the investigation. Within hours of those announcements, Bhageerath surfaced and presented himself before the police station, bringing an end to the tense developments surrounding the case.
The controversy deepened after conflicting versions emerged over whether Bhageerath was arrested by the police or voluntarily surrendered. Cyberabad Commissioner Avinash Mohanty stated that police teams tracked and detained him near Appa Junction. Videos related to the operation were widely circulated across television channels and social media platforms.
However, Bandi Sanjay released a separate statement claiming that his son was handed over to the police through lawyers out of respect for the legal system. He maintained that Bhageerath had not committed any wrongdoing but said the family chose to cooperate with the investigation without further delay.
According to sources connected to the case, the High Court vacation bench refused to grant protection from arrest after considering the preliminary findings of the investigation. The court reportedly took note of official records confirming that the complainant was a minor. Since the case falls under the POCSO Act, the argument of mutual consent carries no legal value.
Investigators initially faced criticism over the manner in which the search operation was conducted. Questions were raised about whether the police acted cautiously because the accused is the son of a Union Minister. Police officials want to project that they actively traced and detained the accused. At the same time, the minister’s camp is attempting to show that the family respected the law and voluntarily cooperated.
Reports suggest that Bhageerath was accompanied by lawyers and family members when police took him into custody near Appa Junction. This has led to speculation that the surrender and arrest may have happened simultaneously, allowing both sides to present different versions of the same event.
Bandi Sanjay, in his statement, said that his family had initially consulted legal experts after the complaint was filed. He added that lawyers were confident about securing bail based on the evidence available with them. Despite that, the family decided not to delay the investigation further and handed Bhageerath over to the police.
The case has now moved into the next phase of investigation. Police are expected to conduct medical examinations and produce Bhageerath before the court for remand proceedings. Since the charges involve serious non bailable sections under the POCSO Act, the legal battle ahead is expected to be closely watched both politically and legally.
