Karnataka High Court Denies Yediyurappa's Request to Dismiss POCSO Charges; Provides Temporary Relief

Bengaluru, Feb 7 (NationPress) In a significant blow to former Chief Minister of Karnataka and BJP Central Parliamentary Committee member B.S. Yediyurappa, the Karnataka High Court has declined to dismiss the charges against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) on Friday.

Nevertheless, the Bench granted anticipatory bail to Yediyurappa, shielding him from immediate arrest.

The judgment was delivered by the Bench led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, which has returned the case to the POCSO court. However, the court did not quash the charge sheet filed against Yediyurappa.

Additionally, the court refrained from commenting on the validity of the case as argued by petitioner Yediyurappa.

The matter was reserved for decision after concluding the arguments on January 17.

With this ruling, Yediyurappa must now confront the legal proceedings ahead.

The prosecution contended that Yediyurappa’s petition to dismiss the case was a strategic move, as it was filed following the passing of the victim’s mother, the original complainant.

Senior counsel C.V. Nagesh, representing Yediyurappa, countered that his client was unaware of the complainant's death and was not omniscient. He urged the court to consider the 45-day interval between the alleged incident and the FIR registration.

The counsel also challenged the complainant's reliability, highlighting her previous record of filing multiple FIRs against senior IAS, IPS, and government officials.

This case originated from an FIR lodged at the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru by the mother of a minor girl, claiming sexual harassment by Yediyurappa.

The former Chief Minister has categorically denied the allegations, asserting that they are politically motivated and that he is ready to face the legal system.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating the matter, submitted a charge sheet on June 27, 2024, to a special fast-track court.

The charge sheet states that Yediyurappa, along with three other accused, faces charges under the POCSO Act and various sections of the IPC, including 354(A) (sexual harassment), 204 (destruction of documents), and 214 (bribing to conceal an offence).

According to the charge sheet, on February 2, 2024, the complainant approached Yediyurappa’s residence seeking assistance regarding an alleged sexual assault on her 17-year-old daughter. It claims that Yediyurappa locked the girl in a room and sexually harassed her.

The victim reportedly resisted and exited the room, after which Yediyurappa allegedly declined to help.

Furthermore, the charge sheet alleges that when the victim shared images and videos of the incident on social media, Yediyurappa summoned them to his residence via intermediaries and provided them with Rs 2 lakh in cash, subsequently having the media files removed from social media and their phone gallery.

The victim's mother passed away on May 26, 2024, due to health complications in Bengaluru.

Yediyurappa has vehemently rejected the allegations, stating, “A mother and daughter appeared distressed near my residence. Out of compassion, I invited them in to understand their situation and even contacted the Bengaluru Police Commissioner for assistance. However, they began level accusations against me. Despite this, I provided them with financial help. I am prepared to tackle these charges in court.”