Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court, on Friday, expressed serious concern over a “smear campaign in social media” against her over hearing the bail petition of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son Bandi Sai Bageerath in POCSO Act case.

The interim application of Mr. Bageerath, filed as part of a criminal petition, seeking pre-arrest bail was heard the previous day and adjourned to Friday. As large number of pleas were listed on the Bench of Justice T. Madhavi Devi, a Vacation Bench, the hearing began around 9 p.m. on Friday.

As the counsels rose to present their contentions, the judge said that she wanted to express her concern over the smear campaign being carried out in social media against her in the backdrop of her, by virtue of being judge, hearing the bail petition of Mr. Bageerath. “How many of you are on social media? Have you noticed the smear campaign..?” the judge said, observing that she was pained at the smear campaign against her attributing motives to her.

She asked senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, the POCSO case victim mother’s counsel Pappu Nageshwar Rao and Public Prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao if they had any problem with her hearing the case. The judge told them that she would not hesitate to recuse herself from hearing the case if they had an iota of objection over her hearing the matter.

The victim’s counsel said he had no such objection and requested her to proceed with the hearing of the case. The PP for Home said that he had noticed a pamphlet type of message being circulated in social media and immediately alerted Hyderabad Police Commissioner about the issue. The PP informed the Bench that the Commissioner had assured immediate action over matter. 

Mr. Niranjan Reddy said such attempts to ‘browbeat judiciary’ were made earlier also and even some circulated reports earlier over another judge recusing himself from hearing the bail petition. The judge took a break for a couple of a minutes before beginning to hear the arguments in the bail petitions. The arguments were in progress when reports last came in.