Cyberabad police on Tuesday (May 12) served a notice on Bandi Sai Bageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, directing him to appear before investigators in connection with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case registered against him.

The notice, issued by the Station House Officer of Petbasheerabad police station, instructed Bageerath to appear before police by 2 p.m. on May 13 (Wednesday) for inquiry and investigation into the case.

According to the notice, the case was initially registered under Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 11 read with 12 of the POCSO Act based on a complaint lodged by the mother of the minor girl.

Police stated in the notice that, based on the victim’s statement, the sections of law were later altered to Section 5(l) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which deal with aggravated sexual assault.

The notice further warned that failure to comply with the direction could result in legal action being initiated against the accused in accordance with law.

The development comes as Bageerath has approached the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

A case was registered against him on May 8 at Petbasheerabad police station following allegations of sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl.

Earlier, Bageerath had also lodged a complaint at Karimnagar II Town police station alleging that the girl and her parents attempted to honeytrap him and demanded ₹5 crore to avoid filing a police complaint. Based on his complaint, police registered a separate case against the girl and her parents under sections relating to extortion, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.

Further investigation into the case is underway.