Hyderabad: Posters have surfaced in parts of Hyderabad, claiming that Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay’s son Bandi Bhageerath, an accused in a POCSO case, is absconding.
The posters carrying the picture of Bandi Sanjay and his son have been pasted on walls by unidentified persons in Chanda Nagar, Nallagandla, and other areas.
“ABSCONDING. Bandi Bhageerath. Son of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay involved in sexual assault on minor in Telangana,” reads the poster.
Meanwhile, a few people, including women, were seen carrying posters in Hyderabad Metro, demanding the arrest of Bhagirath.
They were heard informing passengers that Bhageerath is absconding and requesting them to inform the police if they find him.
A few women passengers wondered how he could go absconding. One of the men, carrying posters, alleged that this happened due to the collaboration of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act was registered against Bhageerath on May 8 at Pet Basheerabad Police Station for alleged sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl.
The incident has triggered a huge political row with the main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) accusing the Congress government of shielding the accused.
BRS leaders and workers have been staging protests for the last four days, demanding the immediate arrest of Bhageerath.
Police on Tuesday served a notice on Bhageerath at his relative’s house in Karimnagar, directing him to appear at Pet Basheerabad Police Station for questioning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
Bhageerath, 25, has approached the Telangana High Court, seeking interim bail. A vacation bench is scheduled to hear the petition on Thursday.
Meanwhile, BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) questioned the ‘double standards’ following in POCSO cases.
“One Nation – One Tax. One Nation – One Election. BJP wants uniformity in all things. But when it comes to shielding their kith and kin; One POCSO Act – But two standards; one for Union Minister’s Son and another for a common man,” Rama Rao posted on X.
The BRS leader posted a media report about the POCSO case against Bandi Sanjay’s son and another report about the arrest of a fifth person in a separate POCO case registered in Hyderabad.
In another post, KTR alleged that Telangana recorded the highest rate of crime against women in India.
“Under the leadership of CM/Home Minister Revanth, who has the highest criminal cases for any CM in the country. Now Telangana achieved highest rate of crime against women in India and also the topper in cyber crime too,” posted KTR, who remarked “Well done Rahul Gandhi. Telangana is indeed Rising.”
(IANS)
