The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed the arrest of former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with a POCSO case registered against him.
The bench led by single-judge Justice S Krishna Dixit also instructed the veteran BJP leader to appear before the CID, which is investigating the case, on June 17.
During the hearing, the court remained unconvinced by the state’s allegation that the former CM had evaded a notice issued on June 11, which required him to appear before the investigating officer. The state argued that he flew to Delhi hours after the notice was issued, citing prior party commitments.
The court noted that Yediyurappa, being a former chief minister, is unlikely to flee and said that he had responded to the June 11 notice, indicating that he would appear before the investigating officer on June 17, as per a Bar and Bench report.
“He is not some Tom, Dick or Harry. He is a former Chief Minister of State. Is it your case he will flee the country? What can he do by leaving to Delhi from Bangalore,” the court noted.
Non-bailable arrest warrant against Yediyurappa
On Thursday, a Bengaluru court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Yediyurappa in the case registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on March 14 this year.
The Special Investigation Team of the CID had sought an arrest warrant from the First Fast Track Court after he failed to appear for questioning on Wednesday.
The former Karnataka CM had sought more time to join the investigation.
What is the case about?
According to Karnataka police, Yediyurappa has been charged under the POCSO Act and Section 354A (Sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl. The complaint alleged that he molested her daughter during a meeting on February 2 this year at his residence in Dollars Colony.
Earlier this week, the victim’s brother petitioned the court, claiming that despite the case being registered on March 14, there has been no progress in the investigation.
After the Sadashivanagar police filed the case in March, Karnataka’s Director General of Police, Alok Mohan, transferred it to the CID for further investigation.
The 54-year-old woman who made the accusation against Yediyurappa passed away last month due to lung cancer.
Yediyurappa has denied the allegation and said he would fight the case legally.
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