Social Media Accounts Booked in Bandi Case

Cyberabad Police have registered cases against social media accounts, which posted photos and videos of the victim in the POCSO case registered against Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son Bandi Bhageerath, officials said on Friday.

The cases have been registered at the Pet Basheerabad Police Station, where the POCSO case was booked against Bhageerath on May 8.

"Based on the complaint lodged by the Child Welfare Committee Chairperson of Medchal-Malkajgiri district, regarding the circulation of photos, videos, and other identifying details of the victim girl and her parents a case under Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act, Section 72(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 23 of the POCSO Act has been registered," the Pet Basheerabad police Station Station House Officer (SHO) K. Vijaya Vardhan said.

The Instagram and Facebook account IDs along with relevant URLs involved in the circulation of such content have been identified and forwarded to the concerned authorities for tracing the handlers of these accounts and bringing them to justice.

Cases have also been booked against the social media handlers who published the photos, videos and information of the victim and her parents, according to a statement by the SHO.

"The police officer said that revealing the identity or personal details of a girl child/victim and her family involved in POCSO cases, causes severe emotional distress to the victim and constitutes a serious legal violation. Strict legal action will be taken against anyone involved in such acts," SHO Vijaya Vardhan added.

A case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against Bhageerath on May 8 at Pet Basheerabad Police Station for alleged sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl.

On a complaint by the victim that Bhageerath sexually assaulted her at a farmhouse in Moinabad, the police registered a case under Section 11 read with Section 12 of POCSO Act and Sections 74 and 75 of BNS.

The accused also lodged a counter-complaint in Karimnagar, alleging that the girl's family attempted to extort Rs 5 crore by threatening to implicate him in a false case.

After Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj spoke to the victim on Tuesday to gather more details in the POCSO case, police invoked harsher provisions of POCSO Act.

Section 5 (1) read with 6 was added to the FIR. The section deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault and caries a punishment that may extend up to 20 years imprisonment or more.

Bhageerath was served a notice by the police, directing him to appear before the investigating officer on May 13. He did not appear but sent a letter to the investigating officer, seeking two days' time to appear.

The 25-year-old Bhageerath approached the Telangana High Court, seek orders to quash POCSO case against him. He also sought anticipatory bail.

The court heard arguments on Thursday and posted the case to next week for further hearing.

The court also said that it would pronounce orders on Friday on the petitioner's plea for interim bail.