The Telangana High Court on Thursday granted regular bail to Bandi Bhagirath, the son of Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The court directed Bhagirath to furnish a bail bond of ₹1 lakh with two sureties and comply with specified conditions. Earlier, prosecutors opposed the bail plea, arguing that his release could influence witnesses and interfere with the investigation. The defence, however, stated that Bhagirath had been in judicial custody for over 40 days.
Last month, a special POCSO court in Hyderabad had granted him seven days of interim bail to allow him to appear for his final examinations.
The case stems from an FIR registered on May 8 at Petbasheerabad Police Station. The complaint alleges that Bhagirath entered into a relationship with a 17-year-old girl on the false promise of marriage and subjected her to sexual harassment and inappropriate physical acts between October 2025 and January 2026. Charges have been filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act.
Bhagirath has denied the allegations, claiming the case was filed in retaliation after he lodged a separate complaint accusing the girl’s family of attempting to extort ₹5 crore from him. The police investigation is ongoing, and a chargesheet is expected to be filed.
