Pocso case: Telangana high court denies interim protection to Bandi Sanjay’s son Bageerath

HYDERABAD: Justice T Madhavi Devi of the Telangana high court On Friday, hearing the interim anticipatory bail plea of Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay's son, Bandi Sai Bageerath, said she was not inclined to grant any such protection at this stage. The judge said orders will be pronounced on the next vacation bench date (May 21).

After hearing the arguments for over three hours, the judge adjourned the hearing. Despite Bageerath's counsel urging "at least for an oral direction" to the police to not take any action against him, the judge said, "went through the survivor's statement. Not inclined to grant protection at this stage."

The petitioner's counsel S Niranjan Reddy reiterated that bail in Pocso cases is not foreign to the law in India and assured that the petitioner will go to the police and assist them in investigation with the evidence he has in connection with the case. He also urged the court to lay down stringent conditions till the orders are pronounced and that his client would comply with them.

However, public prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao, and counsel for the survivor Pappu Nageshwar Rao, opposed it, saying the case clearly has evidence of aggravated penetrative assault on a minor. They also expressed apprehensions of tampering with the evidence, influencing witnesses and intimidation.

Pappu Nageshwar Rao said the police were under the influence of the petitioner's father who is an influential person and managed to lay hands on previous case of underage driving against the girl in Nirmal.

Meanwhile, raising serious concerns over the smear campaign on social media against her and her spouse, the judge ordered a detailed inquiry into those behind such messages as well as stringent action against them.

As the matter came up for hearing at around 9pm, the judge asked the counsels about how many of them were on social media. The judge noted that she was "deeply pained by the smear campaign (against her and judiciary) on social media".

"I do not know how many know what my husband does. Campaigns saying ‘something was offered, and matter decided' all deeply painful," the teary-eyed judge said.

In response, Niranjan Reddy informed the court that the campaign had begun much before the matter was heard on Thursday, targeted at another judge before whom the matter was initially listed. As a result, the judge recused from the case, resulting the case being listed before Justice Madhavi Devi. "This is an attempt to browbeat the judiciary and has to be dealt very strictly," he said.

Palle Nageshwar Rao informed the bench that he took up the issue with Hyderabad police commissioner VC Sajjanar and that the latter had assured of taking action in the matter. "Definitely there should be some action," the judge said in response.

It may be noted that Justice Madhavi Devi, who began hearing matters at 10.30am, held the bench for over 13 hours, which is a record for any woman judge in the country, according to sources. Even male judges also rarely held sessions for such long hours. Justice Madhavi Devi first held a division bench with Justice GM Mohiuddin and then heard matters in a single bench which included Bageerath's case.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)