Hyderabad: Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son, Bandi Bageerath, 23, was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act on Friday night for allegedly misbehaving with a 17-year-old girl and sexually harassing her. At the same time, Karimnagar II Town police registered a case against the girl and her parents on Bageerath’s complaint. He alleged that the girl’s family attempted to honey-trap him and demanded Rs 5 crore to not file a false police complaint against him.Late on Friday night, the mother of the 17-year-old girl approached Pet Basheerabad police alleging that Bageerath had been harassing her daughter for more than six months and he had misbehaved with her at a farmhouse in Moinabad. The complainant stated that the girl came in contact with Bageerath through common friends in Hyderabad and the accused became intimate with her by falsely claiming that he wanted to marry her.Pet Basheerabad police booked a case under sections of BNS and Section 11 (sexual harassment) of the Pocso Act against Bageerath.On Friday, Bageerath had approached Karimnagar II Town police officials alleging that he met the girl several months ago and was invited to family gatherings and pilgrimages as a friend.“Believing them to be trustworthy, I accompanied them to pilgrim places. Subsequently, her parents threatened me to marry her, but I refused. The girl and her parents demanded money and also threatened to file a false criminal complaint against me with allegations of harassment and having a physical relationship (with a minor). Feeling scared, I gave the girl’s father Rs 50,000 but they demanded Rs 5 crore and threatened me that otherwise the girl would commit suicide (if I didn’t pay up),” Bageerath alleged.On his complaint, a case was booked against the girl and her parents under Sections 308 (5) (extortion), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 61 (2) (criminal conspiracy) read with 3 (5) (common intention) of BNS on Friday evening.Police officials are yet to summon the accused in either case. In the Pet Basheerabad case, police officials said they would record the statement of the girl and she may also be sent for a medical examination. Karimnagar II Town police said they were conducting a preliminary probe and based on the evidence gathered, action would be initiated.
