CID Moves Forward with Case Against Senior BJP Leader Under POCSO Act
Key Points:
- Chargesheet filed against former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa for alleged molestation of minors.
- Case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
- High Court hearing set for plea to dismiss the FIR against Yediyurappa.
Karnataka Police have officially filed a chargesheet against former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, accusing him of sexually assaulting minors. This action comes from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, 2012.
The chargesheet, which also cites Section 354 A of the Indian Penal Code, was submitted to a special court dealing with POCSO cases. This development occurred just one day before a scheduled High Court hearing regarding Yediyurappa's plea to have the FIR against him dismissed.
The High Court previously instructed the CID not to arrest Yediyurappa, emphasizing his status and the need for him to cooperate with the investigation. The court remarked that Yediyurappa, who has served multiple terms as Chief Minister and is now in his eighties, should not be treated like "Tom, Dick, or Harry."
The case originated from a complaint filed on March 14 by the victim's mother, alleging that Yediyurappa attempted to molest her child on February 2. They had visited his residence seeking assistance in a cheating case. Yediyurappa has strongly denied these allegations, calling them baseless and vowing to contest them legally.
Tragically, the victim's mother, who lodged the complaint, passed away last month from lung cancer.
Yediyurappa has had a long political career, serving as Karnataka's Chief Minister from 2008 to 2011, briefly in May 2018, and again from 2019 to 2021 before resigning amidst political uncertainty.