Bageerath Did Not Surrender, Was Arrested, Says Revanth

Hyderabad:Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday said that Bandi Sai Bageerath, an accused in a Pocso Act case, was arrested by the police and had not surrendered as claimed by his father and Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The Chief Minister also criticised BRS leaders, including former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, for trying to gain political mileage from the sensitive case.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat after announcing the revision of minimum wages for workers, Revanth Reddy responded to questions from media persons regarding claims that Bageerath had surrendered before the police. He said that the accused was apprehended by the police near the TG Police Academy at Narsingi during a ‘nakabandi’ and vehicle checking operations.

The Chief Minister said that if Sanjay himself had handed over his son to the police or informed the police and facilitated his surrender, it could have been termed a surrender. “Nothing of that sort happened. The police themselves traced and caught Bageerath during vehicle checks on Narsingi Road. Does Narsingi Road belong to Bandi Sanjay or is it his residence where he allegedly sheltered his son,” Revanth Reddy asked.

Stating that the police were following legal procedure in the Pocso Act case, the Chief Minister said notices had been issued, and the investigation was being conducted as per due process. He pointed out that even in the alleged drugs case linked to Rama Rao’s relative’s farmhouse, notices had been served and an inquiry conducted in accordance with the law. “The same procedure is being followed in the Bandi Bageerath case as well,” he said.

Revanth Reddy accused BRS leaders of behaving like "sadists” and attempting to derive political mileage out of the Pocso case. He said political battles should be fought democratically in elections and not through attempts to exploit sensitive incidents. He alleged that BRS leaders had forgotten humanity and were indulging in “corpse politics” over issues concerning farmers as well.

The Chief Minister also targeted Rama Rao, saying he was still behaving as though Telangana was under the “Kalvakuntla Constitution” and reminded that KCR was no longer in power. He questioned why Chandrashekar Rao, who recently visited Jagtial to admit a senior Congress leader into the BRS, had failed to come out of his farmhouse and respond to such a serious incident.

Criticising the BJP-led Central government, Revanth Reddy alleged that the Narendra Modi government viewed public issues and even international conflicts through a political lens. He claimed that petrol and diesel prices were being increased repeatedly after elections. In contrast, he said, the Telangana government was taking decisions with a long-term perspective, citing the increase in minimum wages for workers as an example.

The Chief Minister said the state government had completed nearly 80 per cent of paddy procurement operations and assured that the remaining 20 per cent would also be completed soon. He accused the opposition BRS of attempting to politicise farmers’ issues instead of offering constructive suggestions and advice to the government.elcoming the Supreme Court observations on the caste census, Revanth Reddy said Telangana considered it an honour that the apex court had endorsed the state’s decision. He said Telangana had emerged as a role model for the country by conducting caste enumeration and placing all details before the public. The Chief Minister demanded that the Modi government immediately include caste census in the national census process and ensure adequate representation for the weaker sections in all sectors.