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Hyderabad: A 17-year-old girl has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Bandi Bhageerath, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay, at a farmhouse in Moinabad, Telangana on December 31. However, Bhageerath has denied the allegation, claiming that it he is being honey-trapped.

On the basis of the girl's allegations, an FIR was filed at the Pet Basheerabad Police Station in Hyderabad under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The minor girl alleged that she was made to consume alcohol and sexually assaulted by Bageerath at a farmhouse on the outskirts of Hyderabad on two separate occasions. According to police, Bageerath had been in a relationship with her daughter for around seven to eight months. The girl, who is a student, is yet to be examined by investigators.

On the same day, hours before the POCSO FIR was registered, Bageerath filed a counter-complaint at the Two Town Police Station in Karimnagar - his father's Lok Sabha constituency. In his complaint, he named the minor girl and her parents, accusing them of criminal intimidation and extortion. An FIR was also registered based on his complaint.

Bageerath alleged in his complaint that the girl used to invite him to family functions, and he had trusted the family, even accompanying them on visits to religious places. He claimed the family later began demanding money, and that he had paid Rs 50,000 to the girl's father out of fear. He alleged the family subsequently escalated their demand to Rs 5 crore.

He further alleged that the girl's mother threatened to commit suicide if he failed to meet the demand.

The controversy surfaced a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled public meeting in Hyderabad on May 10.

Bani Sanjay called the allegations against his son “baseless”, adding, “Dragging children and family members into political battles only reflects the desperation of those who lack the courage to fight me politically. Some forces are unable to digest the rise of a BC leader who came from the grassroots level, served as a Corporator, and rose step by step to become a Union Minister through hard work and public support.”

He added, “It is evident that this is a political hit job aimed at maligning me personally ahead of tomorrow’s public meeting of…PM Modi.”

The case has also revived scrutiny of Bageerath's earlier appearance in a widely circulated video linked to an alleged assault involving students at Mahindra University.