Hyderabad, May 17 (IANS) The counsel of Bandi Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, on Sunday disputed the police claim that he was arrested in a POCSO case on Saturday night and maintained that he voluntarily surrendered.

Hours after a magistrate sent Bhageerath to judicial custody for 14 days, his counsel, Karuna Sagar, said the Cyberabad Police was falsely projecting that Bandi Bhageerath had been arrested.

“In fact, he voluntarily surrendered before the SOT Cyberabad Police and has fully cooperated with the investigation process in accordance with the law. The attempt to portray a voluntary appearance and cooperation as an ‘arrest’ is misleading and creates a false public narrative,” the counsel said.

He requested the public and media to understand the distinction between a voluntary surrender/cooperation and a custodial arrest.

Cyberabad Police said in a statement past midnight that Bhageerath was arrested on Saturday night and was examined by the Investigating Officer (IO). The accused was later produced before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner M. Ramesh said that based on the complaint by the victim girl, a case was registered against Bhageerath in Pet Basheerabad Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate on May 8.

During the investigation, the statements of the victim and other witnesses were examined by the IO.

Based on the statement of the victim girl, the section of law was altered, and section 64 (2) (m) BNS & Sec 5 (1) r/w 6 of the POCSO Act were added.

Ritiraj, DCP, Kukatpally, was directed to supervise the investigation. The IO also got the statement of the victim recorded under Sec 183 BNSS by the Magistrate.

“Based on reliable information, the SOT team of Cyberabad apprehended the accused Bhageerath, near Tech Park, Manchirevula under Narsingi Police Station limits of Cyberabad and took him into custody at 8.15 pm on 16th May, 2026 and shifted him to Pet Basheerabad Police Station,” said the statement.

“The accused was produced before the IO, who examined him in the presence of panch witnesses in the PS. The accused admitted to have committed the said offence. Hence, the IO arrested him. After completion of medical examination, the accused Bhageerath was produced before the Magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody,” it added.

Bandi Sanjay had also posted on X on Saturday that Bhageerath was not arrested, but he himself appeared before the police for questioning.

He claimed that Bhageerath went to Pet Basheerabad Police Station in the presence of two lawyers.

The development came a day after the Telangana High Court refused to grant Bhagirath interim protection from arrest in the case.

Justice T. Madhavi Devi made it clear that she was inclined to grant any interim order after going through the statement of the victim.

A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against Bhageerath on the allegation that he sexually assaulted the minor girl.

The accused also lodged a counter-complaint in Karimnagar, alleging that the girl’s family attempted to extort Rs 5 crore by threatening to implicate him in a false case.

Bhageerath was served a notice by the police, directing him to appear before the investigating officer on May 13. He did not appear but sent a letter to the investigating officer, seeking two days to appear.

–IANS

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