POCSO Case: Karnataka High Court Exempts Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa From Personal Appearance Before Trial Court On July 15

The Karnataka High Court on Friday adjourned to July 26, hearing of a petition filed by former Chief Minister BY Yediyurappa seeking to quash a POCSO case registered against him. However, the court exempted Yediyurappa from personally remaining present before the trial court on Monday (July 15).

A single judge bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit said “Request for adjournment is allowed. Ld judge of court below is requested to grant exemption for the day, on the next date of hearing till any other day, till this matter is taken up for hearing on July 26.”

The CID had on June 27, filed the charge sheet under provisions of POCSO Act and the Indian Penal Code against four accused including Yediyurappa. On taking cognizance of the chargesheet the Special court issued process and directed the accused to remain personally present before it.

During the hearing Senior Advocate CV Nagesh for Yediyurappa submitted that the filing of chargesheet and the Special court taking cognizance of the same itself is illegal. However, the court expressed that there was no urgency to hear the matter as interim protection was granted earlier.

As per the complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, the accused sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting in February, at Yediyurappa's residence in Bengaluru. On March 14, the Sadashivanagar police registered the case. Later, it was transferred to CID for further investigation which re-registered the FIR and filed a chargesheet.

Recently, when Yediyurappa failed to participate in the investigation on a notice issued to him, the CID secured a non-bailable warrant against him.

The same was challenged by Yediyurappa before the Karnataka High Court which had stayed the warrant saying “Here is an Ex-CM. He followed your first notice and cooperated with the investigation. Then you issued a second notice. It is your power and he said I will come on 17-06-2024, it is not his case that he will not come back to Karnataka.”

Case Title: B S Yediyurappa AND The Criminal Investigating Department

Case No: WP 15522/2024