By Astha Bhumish Shah 

The Karnataka High Court adjourned to 26 July 2024, the hearing of a petition filed by former Chief Minister of Karnataka, BY Yediyurappa seeking to quash a POCSO case registered against him. However, the Ex-Chief Minister has been granted been granted an exemption from personal appearance till the hearing on 26 July. The complaint in the present case was filed by the mother of a 17 year old girl wherein she claimed that the accused sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting at his residence in February. Post registration of the case by the police, it was transferred to CID for further investigation. On 27 June 2024, the CID filed a chargesheet under provisions of POCSO Act and IPC against Yediyurappa and four others. The Special Court on taking cognizance of the chargesheet directed all the accused to remain personally present before it. However, recently Yediyurappa failed to participate in the investigation on another notice to issued to him, to which the CID secured a non-bailable warrant against him that was then stayed by the High Court. The Court observed that the Ex-Chief Minister followed the first notice and cooperated with the investigation and when he was issued a second notice, he said he will come on 17 June, it was never his case that he will not come back to Karnataka and not comply with the notice. (B S Yediyurappa vs The Criminal Investigating Department Case No: WP 15522/2024) 

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