BRS demands reputed public prosecutor in SIT investigating Bandi Sai Bageerath case

The BRS accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of shielding POCSO case accused Bandi Sai Bageerath and demanded inclusion of a reputed public prosecutor in the SIT probe. RS Praveen Kumar questioned police handling, alleged delays and inconsistencies in the investigation

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Saturday accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of shielding POCSO case accused Bandi Sai Bageerath. The party also demanded that a reputed public prosecutor be included in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.

Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar rebutted the Chief Minister’s claims that the case was registered immediately after the complaint was lodged. He alleged that the victim’s mother was made to wait for a long time at the Petbasheerabad police station before the case was registered.

---

According to him, the Petbasheerabad police acted only after a counter case was filed against the victim’s family at Karimnagar II Town police station. He pointed out that the Karimnagar police booked the victim under non-bailable sections, while the case against the accused was registered under bailable sections.

Praveen Kumar claimed that Bageerath had not personally appeared at the Karimnagar II Town police station and alleged that the signature on the complaint was not his. He said the police cannot register a case based on a complaint copy and questioned the differing approaches taken by the two police stations.

Countering the Chief Minister’s explanation that security arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi delayed the response, Praveen Kumar said Petbasheerabad Inspector, ACP or DCP were not deployed for the Prime Minister’s visit. He questioned why a woman police officer was not sent immediately to the victim’s residence to record her statement.

The BRS leader said Revanth Reddy, who also holds the Home portfolio, failed to act decisively in the case. Referring to the Chief Minister’s remarks asking Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay to hand over his son, he asked whether Telangana Police were incapable of arresting the accused on their own.

Praveen Kumar also alleged inconsistency in police action. He said journalists and BRS leaders were picked up from airports and homes at midnight in other cases, while Bageerath had allegedly remained absconding for nine days.

He further claimed there was a deliberate delay in recording the victim’s statement and said inconsistencies in the statement could ultimately benefit the defence. “A reputed public prosecutor should be included in the SIT alongside DCP Riti Raj to ensure proper investigation and conviction,” he demanded.

The former IPS officer urged police officials not to follow unlawful instructions, citing instances in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh where officers faced action for alleged misconduct. Praveen Kumar also criticised the Congress government over its handling of legal cases involving BRS leaders.

He alleged that the government spent Rs 17.07 crore on senior advocates in cases related to MLA defections, Kaleshwaram, Formula E and other matters involving BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao and former Ministers T Harish Rao and KT Rama Rao. However, he alleged that the government failed to engage similarly experienced lawyers in the present case and claimed this reflected a lack of seriousness.

The BRS leader also criticised Women and Child Welfare Minister D Seethakka for not acting against what he described as a false campaign targeting the victim. Using all his resources, Bandi Sanjay got court orders directing people to refrain from dragging his name. Would it be possible for the victim to secure such orders, he asked.

He questioned why the Minister had not approached the court on behalf of the victim to seek protective orders.