POCSO Case against BS Yediyurappa

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa has been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act over allegations of sexually harassing a teen.

The police in Bengaluru's Sadashivanagar charged the senior BJP leader based on a complaint by the mother of the 17-year-old girl. According to the FIR, the incident allegedly happened on February 2 when the mother and daughter visited the BJP veteran to seek assistance in a cheating case. The BJP leader allegedly sexually assaulted the girl after calling her into a room.

Mr Yediyurappa, however, questioned the timing of the complaint, coming just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Addressing the media, the BJP leader said-- "I helped the complainant financially. The timing is questionable since the FIR comes just ahead of the polls."

The former Chief Minister claimed the girl came to him seeking help with some cases of cheating. However, she didn't speak to him properly which gave him the idea that she may not be mentally sound, he said.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said, "A lady gave a complaint to the Sadashivanagar police station against BS Yediyurappa, our former Chief Minister, saying that her daughter was molested. So the police registered the case and an investigation is on. Until and unless we know the truth, we cannot reveal anything. This is a very sensitive matter because it involves a former Chief Minister. Let's see what the report says".

Home Minister declined to answer when asked if Yediyurappa would be detained or arrested. "I don't want to comment on the police investigation. There is an SOP followed by police," Parmeshwar said.

BS Yediyurappa served as Karnataka Chief Minister in 2007 and later from 2008 to 2011. He was chief minister again for three days in May 2018, and then from July 2019 to July 2021.