Why no notice to Bandi Sanjay in son’s POCSO case? RS Praveen asks

RS Praveen Kumar demands a wider probe, including scrutiny of call records, to determine whether the victim and her family faced intimidation after the complaint.

Hyderabad: BRS leader and former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar on Friday, June 12, launched a scathing attack on the Telangana Police and the Congress government over their handling of POCSO cases in the state, questioning why Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar and BJP leader Sangappa had not been questioned in connection with the POCSO case involving Sanjay’s son.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, Praveen Kumar alleged that chief minister A Revanth Reddy, who also holds the Home portfolio, had failed to maintain law and order in the state.

“Telangana is slowly becoming the capital and address for POCSO cases,” he said, expressing concern over crimes against minors and accusing the government of not taking a sufficiently proactive approach to such cases.

Questions over probe

Drawing a comparison between two recent POCSO cases, Praveen Kumar praised the Khammam Police for swiftly registering a case and arresting the accused within a day despite alleged attempts by two Congress leaders to broker a settlement.

However, he questioned the pace of the investigation in the Pet Basheerabad POCSO case involving Bandi Sanjay’s son.

“If the Khammam Police could arrest the accused within a day, why are the Pet Basheerabad Police not even questioning the remaining individuals connected to this case? It has been nearly a month, yet the investigation appears to have stopped with one person,” he said.

Praveen Kumar specifically demanded to know why investigators had not questioned Bandi Sanjay or BJP leader Sangappa.

“Have notices been issued to Bandi Sanjay? Has he been questioned? Why are Bandi Sanjay and Sangappa not being interrogated?” he asked.

Demand for wider investigation

The BRS leader further argued that police should investigate whether any attempts were made to intimidate, influence or pressure the victim and her family after the complaint surfaced.

He urged investigators to examine the call records of all individuals who may have been involved in communications following the allegations.

“If there were attempts to threaten or influence the victim’s family, the truth can emerge through a proper investigation, including scrutiny of call records,” he said.

Praveen Kumar also questioned why the Congress government was not actively pursuing all possible angles in the case despite the seriousness of the allegations and the public attention it had generated.

Attack on government

Referring to Bandi Sanjay’s recent remarks that he had developed a fever after consuming adulterated milk in Hyderabad, Praveen Kumar used the comments to target both the BJP leader and the state government.

“Bandi Sanjay says he got a fever after drinking milk. Whether that is true or not, the entire state has developed a fever after witnessing the developments in this case,” he remarked.

The BRS leader also questioned the response of the state government to crimes against minors and asked why the Women and Child Welfare Department had not publicly reached out to the victim in the Khammam case.

Taking a swipe at the Congress leadership, he alleged that political priorities appeared to be overshadowing concerns related to the welfare and protection of children.

Concerns over child safety

Moving beyond politics, Praveen Kumar stressed the need for greater awareness about crimes against children and the dangers posed by sexual predators.

He said that in the overwhelming majority of POCSO cases, the accused were known to the victims and urged parents to remain vigilant about their children’s activities and friendships.

“Parents should not leave children unattended and must know who they are spending time with. Offenders often use grooming techniques to identify vulnerable children who are emotionally distressed or seeking affection,” he said.

According to Praveen Kumar, parents should pay close attention to sudden behavioural changes in children and encourage open communication so that minors feel comfortable reporting inappropriate conduct.

Awareness and prevention

The former IPS officer called on the government to increase awareness about child protection laws and safety measures in schools.

He said children should be educated about concepts such as “good touch” and “bad touch” from an early age and made aware of support mechanisms available to them.

Praveen Kumar urged authorities to strengthen awareness campaigns about Childline 1098 and the Women’s Helpline 181 so that children and families know where to seek help in emergencies.

He also criticised any move that could reduce access to education, urging the government to focus on strengthening schools rather than reducing their numbers.

BRS 2.0 promises

Outlining what he described as the BRS 2.0 vision for child protection, Praveen Kumar said a future BRS government would take stronger action against those convicted of crimes against minors and ensure that information about such offenders is made widely known.

He promised an increase in the number of fast-track courts dealing with crimes against children and advocated mandatory martial arts training to help children develop self-defence skills.

The BRS leader said protecting children should be a top priority for any government and called for coordinated efforts involving parents, schools, law enforcement agencies and policymakers.

The press conference concluded with Praveen Kumar raising questions about what he described as selective policing. Referring to action taken against BRS leader Balka Suman in a separate matter, he asked why similar action had not been initiated against other political leaders facing allegations in different cases.

His remarks mark the latest escalation in the political battle surrounding the Pet Basheerabad POCSO case, with the BRS seeking to corner both the ruling Congress and the BJP over the conduct, scope and pace of the investigation.