Karnataka HC grants anticipatory bail to former CM Yediyurappa in POCSO case

The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted protection from arrest to former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in a case pertaining to the alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl, reported The Indian Express.

Refusing to quash the case, the court remitted the matter back to the trial court, according to Live Law.

The case against Yediyurappa was registered on March 14 for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl. The 17-year-old girl is a rape survivor in an unrelated case from 2015 pending elsewhere.

The 81-year-old BJP leader is accused of having sexually assaulted the minor on February 2, 2024, when she, along with her mother, met him to seek his help in the rape case. He also faces charges of sexual harassment under Section 354A of the Indian Penal Code.

Yediyurappa has denied the allegations against him.

The former chief minister had moved the court seeking quashing of the first information report.

“In the light of the filing of the final report by the CID [Criminal Investigation Department], the petitioner would undoubtedly not be required for any custodial interrogation, as no investigation is pending against the petitioner,” the High Court said on Friday.

The High Court ruled that a special court judge made an error in taking cognisance of the chargesheet against the former chief minister, as…

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