Synopsis
The Karnataka High Court has granted interim relief to B.S. Yediyurappa, suspending a summons for his presence in a POCSO case, while the court calls for a thorough investigation.Key Takeaways
- Karnataka High Court grants interim relief to B.S. Yediyurappa.
- Summons for personal appearance on March 15 suspended.
- Thorough investigation deemed necessary by the court.
- Yediyurappa denies allegations, claims political motivation.
- Charge sheet includes multiple serious allegations against him.
Bengaluru, March 14 (NationPress) The Karnataka High Court has offered interim relief to former Chief Minister and BJP Central Parliamentary Committee member B.S. Yediyurappa in a case related to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by suspending the summons that mandated his personal presence at the First Fast Track Court on March 15.
The bench, led by Pradeep Singh Yerur, issued the order on Friday while reviewing Yediyurappa’s petition aimed at quashing the charge sheet against him. The court noted that a thorough investigation was necessary in this matter and, therefore, suspended both the summons and the court's cognizance of the issue.
Senior counsel C.V. Nagesh, representing Yediyurappa, contended that the High Court had previously provided interim relief in this matter. He added that the IT clause in the FIR would pertain to the complainant rather than Yediyurappa, as he had not erased any conversations from the mobile device of the victim’s mother.
The charge sheet was compiled based on testimonies from the victim and her mother. However, witnesses present at the scene have asserted that no such event transpired. Counsel Nagesh highlighted that the complaint was filed with the Police Commissioner a month after the alleged incident.
The case revolves around accusations of inappropriate touching that reportedly occurred on February 2, 2024. While the High Court had previously allowed Yediyurappa some leeway regarding his court appearance, it had not issued an interim stay on the case itself.
In response, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty urged the court to refrain from granting any relief to Yediyurappa, stressing that the prior High Court order had merely exempted him from attending court but did not halt the proceedings.
On February 28, the First Fast Track Court in Bengaluru had issued a summons to Yediyurappa concerning the case, instructing him to appear before it on March 15.
The court arrived at this decision after considering the charge sheet submitted by the police. Yediyurappa had previously secured immunity from the High Court regarding the summons.
On February 7, the Karnataka High Court declined to quash the charges against him in this matter.
Nonetheless, the Bench had granted Yediyurappa anticipatory bail, providing him protection from arrest. The new summons from the FTC raised concerns regarding potential legal actions against him.
The former Chief Minister has rejected the accusations, insisting that the claims are politically motivated and asserting his readiness to confront the legal proceedings.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the case, submitted a charge sheet on June 27, 2024, to a special fast-track court.
According to the charge sheet, Yediyurappa, along with three other individuals, faced charges under the POCSO Act and several sections of the IPC, including 354(A) (sexual harassment), 204 (destruction of documents or electronic records), and 214 (offering bribes to conceal an offence).
The charge sheet claims that on February 2, 2024, the complainant visited Yediyurappa’s residence seeking assistance regarding a sexual assault on her 17-year-old daughter. It alleges that Yediyurappa took the girl into a room, locked it, and sexually harassed her. The victim resisted and exited the room, after which Yediyurappa purportedly denied them any further help.
Furthermore, the charge sheet alleges that when the victim posted photos and videos of the incident on social media, Yediyurappa summoned them to his residence via intermediaries and handed them ₹2 lakh in cash. It claims he then had the media files deleted from social media and the phone's gallery.
The victim's mother sadly passed away on May 26, 2024, due to health complications in Bengaluru.
Yediyurappa has categorically denied the allegations, stating, “A mother and daughter were found near my residence, appearing distressed. Out of compassion, I called them to inquire about their situation. I even contacted the Bengaluru Police Commissioner to assist them. However, they began making accusations against me. Regardless, I offered them financial support. I will confront these charges in court.”
