The family of a 17-year-old girl who is the survivor in the Bandi Sai Bageerath POCSO case is still waiting for a copy of the chargesheet, nearly two weeks after police filed it in court.
Bageerath, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, is facing allegations of sexually assaulting the minor. He was arrested by Petbasheerabad police on May 16 and was later granted regular bail by the Telangana High Court on July 9. The allegations have not been established in court.
Police have now confirmed that the investigation has been completed and that a chargesheet was filed before the POCSO court in Medchal-Malkajgiri. Petbasheerabad Station House Officer Vijaya Vardhan told The South First that the chargesheet was filed around 15 days before the report was published on September 21.
However, the survivor’s family says it has not received a copy of the chargesheet either officially or through other means. The family has approached the court seeking access to the document and is waiting for a response.
The issue has raised questions about communication with the survivor’s family during the investigation. The POCSO Act and related rules provide protections for child survivors and require authorities to keep the child and family informed about important developments in the case.
The case was registered on May 8 after a complaint by the survivor’s mother. According to the Telangana High Court’s July bail order, the allegations included repeated sexual assault and other offences, including alleged circulation of private photographs. The court granted Bageerath bail subject to conditions.
During the bail proceedings, the survivor’s side had raised concerns about whether all relevant witnesses and records had been examined. The court considered the investigation to be substantially complete when deciding the bail application, while imposing conditions intended to protect the investigation and witnesses.
The survivor’s family had previously raised concerns about being informed about developments in the case. The latest request for the chargesheet copy has brought the issue of communication between investigating authorities and the family back into focus.
The filing of the chargesheet means the investigation has formally reached an important stage, but the case itself is not over. The court will now consider the charges and evidence as the legal proceedings continue.
The survivor’s identity is protected under Indian law, and details that could identify her should not be disclosed. The case remains before the court, and the allegations against Bageerath remain allegations unless and until they are established through the judicial process.