A major political controversy has engulfed Telangana after a POCSO case was registered late on May 8, 2026, against Bandi Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The family of a 17-year-old girl alleged that Bhageerath sexually assaulted and harassed her at a farmhouse in Moinabad on December 31, 2025, after forcibly making her consume alcohol. The complaint states that the alleged relationship lasted 7-8 months with a false promise of marriage. Petbasheerabad police registered the FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 74 and 75 and POCSO Act Sections 11 and 12.
Hours before the girl’s FIR was lodged, Bhageerath filed a counter-complaint at Karimnagar II Town police station on May 8. He accused the girl and her family of orchestrating a “honey-trap” extortion plot demanding ₹5 crore. A separate FIR was registered against them under BNS sections for extortion, criminal intimidation, and conspiracy. As of now, no arrests have been made in either case, and both investigations are ongoing in Hyderabad and Karimnagar districts.
The alleged five-hour delay in registering the girl’s complaint has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups. The victim’s family claims they struggled for over three months to get an FIR registered, during which the minor allegedly attempted suicide twice. Critics have questioned why police did not act urgently on the complaint involving a minor, despite POCSO provisions requiring swift action. The FIR was reportedly lodged late on May 8, only after Bhageerath’s counter-complaint was filed.
Adding fuel to the controversy, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s name has been dropped from the official invitation and programme for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting scheduled for May 10, 2026, at Parade Ground, Secunderabad. The development has sparked widespread speculation about internal distancing by the BJP or damage control efforts ahead of the high-profile event. The omission has become a talking point across political circles in the state.
K. Chandrashekar Rao’s son and BRS Working President KTR launched a scathing attack on the system in a strongly worded tweet. He questioned why a 17-year-old rape victim and her family had to struggle for over three months to register an FIR. KTR directly asked Prime Minister Modi whether “Beti Bachao” was merely a slogan and demanded Bandi Sanjay’s resignation or dismissal. He also questioned Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on why Congress police acted slowly and filed a “reverse case” on the minor, alleging a possible “unholy, sickening agreement” between Congress and BJP over the girl’s honour.
BRS leaders, including RS Praveen Kumar, have demanded the immediate dismissal of Bandi Sanjay from the Union Council of Ministers. The party has highlighted the delay in FIR registration and accused the ruling Congress government of shielding the accused due to political equations. Congress leaders and supporters have amplified the case on social media, demanding swift justice and questioning BJP’s commitment to women’s safety, while facing counter-accusations from BJP supporters of political vendetta.
The BJP has largely maintained silence on the matter, with limited public statements from the party or Bandi Sanjay’s camp. Supporters of the Union Minister claim the case is a politically motivated “honey-trap” designed to target him ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. No immediate comment or resignation statement from Bandi Sanjay himself has been widely reported. Pro-BJP accounts on social media have pointed to the counter-FIR as evidence of extortion and called for fair investigations without political interference.
The case has dominated headlines across Telangana and turned into a major political embarrassment for the BJP ahead of PM Modi’s visit. Social media platforms are flooded with demands for accountability, questions about law and order under Congress rule, and calls for the Prime Minister to intervene. Investigations continue in both districts, with political temperatures soaring and opposition parties demanding transparency and impartiality in the probe. The incident has exposed deep fault lines between political parties in the state, with each side accusing the other of misusing the case for political gains.
