Explained: How POCSO Case Against Bandi Sanjay's Son Triggered Telangana's Biggest Political Crisis

Last Updated:May 11, 2026, 10:11 IST

As POCSO case hit his son, Bandi Sanjay's name was quietly dropped from PM Modi's official Hyderabad invite — sparking fierce speculation about BJP's first move to distance itself.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bandi Bhageerath, has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl under the POCSO Act. The case has dominated headlines across Telangana, flooded social media with demands for accountability, and turned into a major political embarrassment for the BJP — timed awkwardly with PM Modi’s visit to Hyderabad.

Who Is Bandi Sanjay — And Why Does His Son’s Case Matter So Much?

Bandi Sanjay Kumar is a BJP MP representing Karimnagar and currently serves as Minister of State for Home Affairs — the ministry responsible for law and order in the country. The irony of a POCSO case being filed against the son of India’s Home Ministry is what lit the internet on fire.

What Exactly Is Bhageerath Accused Of?

The girl’s family alleged that Bhageerath sexually assaulted her on at least three separate occasions, including at a farmhouse in Moinabad on December 31, 2025, when he allegedly forced her to drink alcohol. When the family went to the Pet Basheerabad police station on May 8, the police officers initially refused to register an FIR.

What Is Bhageerath Saying?

Bhageerath has denied the allegations and filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the girl’s family knew him for some time and later began blackmailing him in the name of forcing a marriage proposal. He claims the family honey-trapped him and tried to extort ₹5 crore. Both FIRs are currently under investigation and no arrests have been made yet.

What Is Bandi Sanjay Saying?

Bandi Sanjay called the allegations “baseless" and politically motivated, saying he has always respected the law and has complete faith in the judiciary. He accused political opponents of dragging family members into controversy because they cannot challenge him on political grounds.

What Are Opposition Parties Saying?

BRS Working President KTR directly asked PM Modi whether “Beti Bachao" was merely a slogan and demanded Bandi Sanjay’s resignation, while also questioning why the Congress-led Telangana government — whose Chief Minister also holds the Home portfolio — acted slowly and filed a case against the minor’s family. Telangana Congress itself faced backlash after posting about the case, with users asking why the FIR had been delayed for three months.

Did Women Hit The Streets Over This?

Yes — and right outside the police station that registered the case. Several women, along with the victim’s family members, protested on Sunday before the Pet Basheerabad police station demanding the arrest of Bandi Sai Bhageerath.

Some demanded the police explain the delay in arresting the accused, while others raised slogans calling on Bandi Sanjay to resign as Union Minister. Separately, the BRS student wing BRSV laid siege to the DGP’s office in Hyderabad, where several leaders including BRSV State president Gellu Srinivas were arrested during the flash protest. All of this unfolded on the same day PM Modi was in Hyderabad.

What Does The Complaint Actually Say?

The South First accessed the FIR and the details are damning. The complainant — the minor’s mother — alleged a sustained pattern of “grooming, emotional manipulation and sexual exploitation" starting from June 2025, with Bhageerath allegedly using a false promise of marriage to gain psychological control over the minor and isolate her.

As a direct consequence of the sustained abuse, the minor attempted self-harm on January 19 and 25, 2026. Most strikingly, the complaint alleged that on April 23, a meeting was arranged with Bandi Sanjay Kumar himself, during which the family said they were subjected to indirect pressure to compromise and advised to sign documents at Nirmal police station.

Has This Happened Before — And Is There A Media Angle?

Bhageerath was previously involved in a campus assault controversy in 2023 while studying at Mahindra University near Hyderabad, when videos of an alleged altercation circulated widely online.

This time, BRS’s KTR publicly called out mainstream Telugu media platforms for refusing to report the POCSO case, asking pointedly: “Who’s dirtier — the Union Minister shielding his son, the Congress government playing mute, or the Telugu media refusing to report a ghastly crime?"

What Is The BJP’s Position — And What About PM Modi’s Visit?

Adding fuel to the controversy, Bandi Sanjay’s name was dropped from the official invitation and programme for PM Modi’s public meeting on May 10 at Parade Ground, Secunderabad — sparking widespread speculation about internal distancing by the BJP ahead of the high-profile event.

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