B S Yediyurappa Faces High Court Review Over POCSO Case

The Karnataka High Court is reviewing a petition by former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa challenging a lower court's cognisance of a POCSO case against him. The 81-year-old is accused of assaulting a minor. A key issue is whether the trial court adequately assessed evidence, with proceedings ongoing.

The Karnataka High Court is currently reviewing a petition filed by former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is contesting a lower court's decision to take cognisance of a case registered against him under the POCSO Act. Yediyurappa, a senior BJP leader, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl, allegedly occurring at his residence on February 2, 2024.

The case arose from a complaint by the girl's mother, who approached Yediyurappa for assistance in a previous assault case before her death. The Bengaluru police subsequently registered an FIR on March 14, 2024. This marks Yediyurappa's second plea to the High Court, after a previous decision was set aside for lack of 'application of mind'.

The current proceedings, led by Justice M I Arun, are evaluating if the trial court reassessed the case materials appropriately. The defense criticized the court's assessment, while the prosecution pointed to lack of evidence due to allegedly destroyed recordings and confirmed payments linked to Yediyurappa. The High Court is set to announce further orders on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies.)