Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court on Friday expressed grave concern over the “smear campaign on social media” against her for hearing the bail plea of Union Home Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar Bandi Sai Bageeratha’s son in the POCSO Act case.
Mr Bageerath’s preliminary application, filed as part of the criminal petition, seeking anticipatory bail was heard the previous day and adjourned to Friday. As a large number of reasons were raised on the bench of Justice T. Madhavi Devi, the vacation bench, the hearing began around 9:00 pm on Friday.
As lawyers rose to present their submissions, the judge said she wanted to express her concern over the smear campaign being waged against her on social media on the back of her being a judge when she heard Mr Bageerath’s bail application. “How many of you are on social media? Have you noticed the smear campaign…?” said the judge, noting that she was hurt by the smear campaign against her attribution of motives.
She asked senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, counsel for the POCSO case victim’s mother Pappu Nageshwar Rao and public prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao if they had any problem with her handling the case. The judge told them that she would not hesitate to recuse herself from hearing the case if they had the slightest objection to her hearing the case.
The victim’s counsel said she had no such objection and asked her to proceed with the case. PP for Home said it noticed that a pamphlet-type message was circulating on social media and immediately brought the matter to the attention of the Hyderabad Commissioner of Police. The PP informed the Bench that the Commissioner has ensured immediate action in the matter.
Mr. Niranjan Reddy said that such attempts to “defeat the judiciary” had been made earlier and even earlier there were reports of another judge refusing to hear a bail plea. The judge adjourned for a few minutes before hearing arguments in the bail applications. Arguments were going on when the latest news came.
Published – 15 May 2026 21:51 IST
