Trouble Deepens For Union Minister's Son In Sexual Assault Case

Bandi Sai Bhageerath admitted to his offence during questioning at the police station in the presence of witnesses, said a police source.

18 May 2026, 13:16 · www.ndtv.com

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Bandi Sai Bhageerath faces additional serious charges in a sexual assault case involving a minor
Charges include Section 64 (2) (m) BNS and aggravated assault under the POCSO Act
The son of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested after a naka-bandi operation

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Hyderabad:

Trouble deepened for Bandi Sai Bhageerath, son of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar, after the Cyberabad Police added more serious charges in the sexual assault case against him. The case was registered on May 8 based on a complaint by a minor survivor and was later revised after the police examined the minor's statement and gathered additional evidence.

Section 64 (2) (m) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 5 (1) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act, dealing with aggravated sexual assault on a minor, has been added to the case.

Section 64 (2) (m) BNS deals with stringent punishment, including rigorous imprisonment of not less than 20 years, and can extend to life imprisonment. The POCSO provisions invoked in the case also prescribe severe punishment for aggravated sexual assault against children.

Police sources said that the survivor's statement was recorded before a magistrate under Section 183 of BNS, strengthening the prosecution's case. Investigators also collected electronic evidence, witness statements, and other materials during the probe.

The investigation is being supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kukatpally, Ritiraj. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Cyberabad Special Operations Team (SOT) team on Saturday conducted a naka-bandi operation near Tech Park and arrested Bhageerath, 25, around 8.15 pm.

According to sources, he admitted to the offence during questioning at the police station in the presence of witnesses. "The accused accepted his involvement during examination and several pieces of evidence collected during the investigation support the case," a police source said.

A court has remanded Bhageerath to 14 days' judicial custody.

Police officials said further investigation is underway, and more digital and forensic evidence is being examined as part of the probe.

KTR Demands Minister's Removal

BRS working president KT Rama Rao has demanded the immediate dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar from the Union Cabinet to ensure a fair investigation into the POCSO case involving his son. KTR alleged that an impartial probe would not be possible as long as Bandi Sanjay Kumar continued in office.

He also questioned how the accused was allegedly kept away from the police for several days and who protected him during that period.

"For the first time in India, a lookout notice had to be issued against the son of a sitting Union Minister," he said, asking the government to immediately remove Bandi Sanjay from the cabinet.

KTR also alleged that the minor's family faced pressure after the incident. If strict action was not taken, he said, victims in the future may hesitate to come forward and file complaints against influential persons.

The BRS leader also accused the state government of trying to weaken the seriousness of the case.

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