Hyderabad, May 27 (IANS). Cyberabad Police on Wednesday started questioning Bandi Bhagirath, son of Union Minister of State for Home, Bandi Sanjay Kumar in the POCSO case.
A day after the trial court granted three-day police custody to Bhagiratha, a police team from Pet Basheerabad police station brought him into custody from Cherlapally jail. After medical examination, the police took him to the police station for questioning.
Kukatpally Deputy Commissioner of Police Ritiraj, who is monitoring the investigation of this case, was interrogating Bhagiratha on the basis of the victim’s statement and the evidence collected so far.
A case was registered against Bhagirath on May 8 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. He was arrested on May 16 and later sent to judicial custody.
Police have recorded the statements of the accused, the victim, her mother and friends. On Tuesday, the lower court of Malkajgiri gave its verdict on the police petition. Although the police had sought one week’s custody, the court granted three days’ custody.
A case was registered against Bhagirath under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act on May 8 for sexually assaulting a minor girl.
The case was registered under Sections 11 and 12 of the POCSO Act and Sections 74 and 75 of the Indian Judicial Code (BNS).
After the investigating officer spoke to the victim, the police invoked Section 5(1) and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
The police issued a notice to Bhagirath and directed him to appear before the investigating officer on May 13.
He did not appear, instead he wrote a letter to the investigating officer and asked for two days’ time to appear.
After the High Court refused to grant him interim protection, he was arrested by the police on the night of 16 May.
However, elder Sanjay claimed that his son had surrendered before the police. He told that when Bhagirath surrendered before the police, two lawyers were also with him.
Police said he confessed to the crime of sexually assaulting a minor girl, after which he was arrested.
Bhagiratha was produced before the magistrate the same night and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
–IANS
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