Former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa Says He Will Appear For POCSO Inquiry After Arrest Warrant Stay

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said on Saturday that he plans to appear for a court inquiry next week following a stay order on an arrest warrant issued against him in a POCSO case.

On Friday, the Karnataka High Court restrained the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) from arresting Yediyurappa in connection with a POCSO case registered against him. It also directed the veteran BJP leader to appear before the CID, which is probing the case, on June 17.

Speaking after his return from Delhi, Yediyurappa said that he had already communicated his intention to cooperate with the inquiry scheduled for June 17. He expressed frustration over what he described as “unnecessary confusion” in the matter.

A Bengaluru court on Thursday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Yediyurappa in the case registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on March 14 this year. The Special Investigation Team of the CID had moved the First Fast Track Court seeking an arrest warrant against him since he failed to appear for questioning on Wednesday. Yediyurappa had sought time to join the probe.

According to reports, the veteran BJP leader has gone to an “undisclosed” location in New Delhi. According to police, Yediyurappa has been booked under the POCSO Act and Section 354 A (Sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who alleged that he molested her daughter during a meeting on February two this year, at his residence in Dollars Colony here.

Yediyurappa, who has denied the charge and said he would fight the case legally, had filed two separate petitions in the High Court, seeking anticipatory bail and quashing of the FIR. The High Court, which adjourned the hearing for two weeks, during the hearing observed that the 81-year-old Yediyurappa is now in the sunset of his life and it is not appropriate to arrest him.

Noting that Yediyurappa had sent a letter to the police volunteering to appear for inquiry on July 17, Justice Krishna S Dixit said, “the court cannot jump to the conclusion that a case is made out for arrest or detention or for custodial interrogation of the petitioner who happens to be the former Chief Minister of the state and in the late evening of his life with ailments natural to that age.” Senior Advocate C V Nagesh appeared for Yediyurappa and argued that the latter had been served notice under 41 (a) of CrPC and, hence, there was no requirement for his arrest.

Nagesh also cited Supreme Court verdicts and requested the court to grant anticipatory bail. On behalf of the Government, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty appeared and tried to convince the court by saying Yediyurappa skipped two notices served by SIT. Shetty also said that an arrest warrant was necessary since Yediyurappa is not in Karnataka, adding that without a warrant other state police would not support them to take the accused into custody. Nagesh countered this by arguing that Yediyurappa had already appeared for questioning, given his voice sample and completely cooperated with the police.

(With agency inputs)