The Telangana High Court on Thursday heard the anticipatory bail petition filed by Bandi Bhagirath, who is facing allegations in a POCSO case. The proceedings witnessed intense arguments from both the prosecution and defence, with the court focusing on key evidentiary and procedural aspects of the case before reserving further consideration.
During the hearing, counsel for Bhagirath sought protection from arrest, arguing that the case was politically motivated and that there were inconsistencies in the registration of the FIR. Senior advocate Niranjan Reddy, appearing for the petitioner, contended that a prior complaint regarding alleged blackmail attempts of ₹5 crore had already been filed in Karimnagar, and claimed that the present case was a countermeasure to that complaint.
The defence further argued that records from an earlier case indicated the complainant was not a minor, thereby questioning the applicability of provisions under the POCSO Act. The arguments also highlighted alleged irregularities in the investigation process and sought interim relief from arrest.
On the other hand, the counsel representing the victim maintained that the police had recorded the victim’s statement after the FIR was lodged and subsequently altered the legal sections based on additional disclosures made during the investigation. The prosecution side asserted that the case was based on factual evidence and denied allegations of conspiracy or procedural bias.
After hearing both sides, the High Court directed the police to conduct a detailed inquiry into the victim’s date of birth and submit a comprehensive report. The court observed that it could not pass any interim order without considering the victim’s version and adjourned the matter to the next day, while postponing the anticipatory bail hearing by a week.