POCSO survivor’s mother alleges threats by Union minister
Mother says Union minister threatened family over POCSO case
Hyderabad — As the Telangana High Court prepared to hear the bail petition of Bandi Sai Bageerath on Friday, May 15, the survivor’s mother made a public statement that added new, wrenching details to an already fraught case. She says she met Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on April 23 to seek help after her family began receiving threats and a false complaint was allegedly being prepared against her daughter.
In the statement, the mother described how the relationship began: her daughter met Bageerath in 2025, when he presented himself as a friend. Over time, she said, the association affected her studies and well-being. The family alleges that a dispute followed and that, during this period, the minister’s son sexually assaulted the girl multiple times. The mother says the survivor told them that Bageerath sexually assaulted her on December 31, 2025, after consuming alcohol.
The family’s account paints a picture of a young woman caught between powerful figures and worried about intimidation. That charge, they say, appeared aimed at undermining the survivor’s credibility and pressuring the family into silence.
According to the statement, events escalated in late April. On April 22, a man identified as Sangappa visited the family and attempted to mediate between the parties. The following day, Sangappa is said to have arranged a meeting between the family and Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The mother alleges that Kumar spoke to them in a derogatory manner, threatened them, and ultimately drove them away without offering help.
She alleged that police were initially reluctant to register an FIR, and that they did so only after repeated insistence. She also claimed that when her daughter’s statement was recorded, the sections initially invoked — which might have made it harder for the accused to secure bail — were later altered.
The mother further alleged that while they were at the Pet Basheerabad station, they learned Bandi Bageerath had filed a counter-case against her daughter at the Karimnagar 2 Town Police Station. Concerned about preserving evidence, the mother says they urged police to safeguard CCTV footage and station registers that would show the timing of complaints — evidence the family believes could demonstrate the sequence of events and counter claims of wrongdoing by the survivor.
The narrative from the survivor’s mother adds emotional weight to the legal proceedings and raises questions about the interplay of political influence and police response in sensitive cases. If proven, allegations that a powerful figure’s family members were involved in repeated sexual assaults and that the victims were subsequently pressured or threatened would demand rigorous, independent investigation.
Legal advocates and women’s rights activists say such allegations are sadly familiar: victims sometimes face secondary victimisation, including intimidation, public shaming or legal counter-complaints that aim to discredit them. “When a case involves individuals connected to political power, survivors often face additional barriers to justice — from delayed registration of FIRs to pressure to withdraw complaints,” said one activist who asked not to be named. “That’s why preserving evidence and ensuring judicial oversight are critical.”
Police officials have not publicly confirmed the specifics of the family’s statements, and authorities generally refrain from commenting on ongoing investigations. The Telangana High Court’s hearing on the bail plea will be a key moment; judges will consider the material on record, the victim’s testimony and the nature of the charges when deciding whether to grant bail. Courts in such cases balance the presumption of innocence for the accused against the need to protect survivors and preserve evidence.
For the family, the court appearance is more than a legal milestone — it is also a test of their ability to be heard in a system they fear may be skewed by power. “We want justice for our daughter, and we want the truth to come out,” the mother said in her statement. Her appeal is a reminder that beyond the headlines and political affiliations, there is a young woman whose life and future hang in the balance.
As the legal process moves forward, public scrutiny and media attention may influence how authorities handle evidence, witnesses and procedural safeguards. Observers will watch whether the investigation addresses the family’s claims about threats, the timing of counter-complaints, and any alleged attempts to intimidate or derail the case.
Whatever the court’s decision on bail, the case underscores larger social and institutional questions: how the justice system protects vulnerable survivors, how police respond when powerful figures are implicated, and how victims’ voices can be heard without fear of reprisal. For now, the family waits — hoping that the courts will provide a forum where their version of events is fully examined and justice can be pursued.