Bengaluru – The Karnataka High Court said no – it will not cancel the summons that a Fast‑Track Court sent to former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa. The case, filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, puts Yediyurappa as the main accused.
In a single‑judge hearing, Justice M.I. Arun dismissed the petition that tried to set aside the trial court’s order to take the case on. The judge also told the Fast‑Track Court to let Yediyurappa skip a personal appearance if the court does not need him there. Yediyurappa can file a separate request for that relief later.
The summons was issued on February 28, 2025, along with three other names. Yediyurappa had asked the High Court to strike out the POCSO case, the FIR and the charge sheet, arguing the lower court had made a mistake. He also pointed out that the complaint, filed on March 14, 2024, had big gaps in the timeline of events.
Senior counsel C.V. Nagesh listed inconsistencies, such as incidents on February 2 and 5, 2024 that were not reported then and witnesses who say nothing wrong happened. He said the protest‑allegations were filed amid a political storm.
Opposing the plea, Senior Public Prosecutor Prof. Ravivarma Kumar reminded the court that the trial court carefully reviewed the evidence before taking cognisance.
According to the charge sheet, Yediyurappa and three others face multiple charges. Under POCSO and the Indian Penal Code, the accusations include sexual harassment (354(a)), destroying documents (204) and offering a bribe to conceal an offence (214). The complainant says she came to Yediyurappa’s home seeking help for her 17‑year‑old daughter who was allegedly sexually assaulted. The charges state that Yediyurappa allegedly held the girl’s wrist and molested her, that she resisted and fled, and that after the victim posted a photo and video online, Yediyurappa summoned the complainant back, gave her ₹2 lakh, and the media files were deleted. The victim’s mother died on May 26, 2024.
Yediyurappa denies all allegations. He said he had approached the mother and daughter when they were in distress, called the Bengaluru police for help, and gave them money after hearing their story. “If we come forward to help, these are the consequences to be faced. I will face everything,” he told the court.
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