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Bengaluru, Oct 25 (IANS) The Karnataka High Court on Saturday reserved its verdict on BJP Central Parliamentary Committee member and former CM BS Yediyurappa’s plea seeking quashing of proceedings in connection with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Yediyurappa prayed for the court to take cognizance of the crime and quash the order issuing summons against him on February 28, 2025.
Yediyurappa has also demanded cancellation of the FIR and charge sheet against him in the case.
A single bench headed by Justice MI Arun passed the order in this regard. It may be recalled that the High Court on February 7 had set aside the trial court’s order taking cognizance of the offenses under the POCSO Act and had returned the case to the trial court to continue the investigation.
Senior advocate CV Nagesh, appearing for Yediyurappa, had said that the high court had quashed the earlier cognizance order after finding that there was no application of mind by the trial court.
The crime was committed on February 2, 2024 at 11.30 am. Then on 5 February 2024, the opposition met Yediyurappa and took photographs. However, no complaint was filed on any day. When there was political discord in the state, he lodged a complaint on 14 March 2024.
Witnesses present at the time of the alleged crime have stated that nothing had happened.
Senior Public Prosecutor Professor Ravivarma Kumar had submitted that the trial court had taken cognizance of the case on the basis of evidence and application of mind.
According to the chargesheet, Yediyurappa, along with three other accused, was charged under the POCSO Act and sections 354(A) (sexual harassment), 204 (destruction of document or electronic record) and 214 (offering bribe to another person to conceal an offence) of the Indian Penal Code.
The other accused are accused of colluding with Yediyurappa to suppress the case under sections 204 and 214 of the IPC.
The chargesheet mentions that the complainant had gone to meet Yediyurappa at his residence on February 2 this year to seek help in connection with the sexual assault against her 17-year-old daughter.
It said Yediyurappa took the girl by the wrist to a room in his residence, locked her there and sexually assaulted her. However, it is mentioned that the girl protested and came out of the room. Later the BJP leader refused to help him.
When the victim uploaded the photos and videos on the social media account, the accused called them to his residence through other accused and gave Rs 2 lakh in cash to the complainant. The accused had also obtained photographs and videos from social media and iPhone gallery.
The victim’s mother died due to health complications on May 26, 2024 in Bengaluru.
Yediyurappa had denied the allegations and said that he was ready to face any case. “A mother and daughter were found near my residence. We did not entertain them due to suspicion. But once I saw them sitting near my house with tears in their eyes. I called them and asked why they were crying. They claimed that they were going through a major crisis. I called Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand and asked him to help them. The woman and the daughter started talking against me right there and they were sent out.”
The former chief minister had said, “Then the matter took a different turn. If we came forward to help, these were the consequences we would have to face. I had even given him money after hearing about his problem. I will face everything.”
–IANS
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