Bengaluru: On Thursday, a Bengaluru court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in connection with a POCSO case. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) case, had summoned Yediyurappa earlier, but he sought more time to appear before the CID.
Currently in New Delhi, the senior BJP leader is expected to join the investigation upon his return to Bengaluru. Yediyurappa, who is also a member of the BJP’s parliamentary board, has been booked under the POCSO Act and Section 354A (Sexual Harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges stem from a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, alleging that Yediyurappa sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting on February 2 at his residence in Dollars Colony, Bengaluru.
Case Transfer and Investigation
On March 14, shortly after the Sadashivanagar police registered the case, Karnataka Director General of Police Alok Mohan transferred the investigation to the CID. The complainant, a 54-year-old woman, died last month at a private hospital due to lung cancer.
Yediyurappa, 81, has denied the allegations, asserting his intention to fight the charges legally. In April, the CID collected his voice sample as part of their investigation. The government has appointed Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Ashok H. Nayak to represent the CID in this case.
Official Statements
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated that the CID would determine the necessity of an arrest, emphasizing the investigative body’s autonomy. “If necessary, they will arrest. I can’t say if it is necessary, CID has to say it. If they feel it is necessary, they will do it,” he said.
As the investigation progresses, Yediyurappa’s legal team prepares to address the charges in court, maintaining his innocence and readiness to comply with legal proceedings.
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