Bengaluru: The Criminal Investigation Department on Monday (June 17) has questioned former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) case.
As per a Deccan Herald report, Yediyurappa appeared at the CID headquarter in Bengaluru at 11 am and was questioned by a deputy superintendent of police-ranked official. He left around 2.40 pm.
The case pertains to the accusations made by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who had alleged that the former chief minister had sexually assaulted her daughter when they had visited him at his Bengaluru residence this February seeking some help. A complaint was also lodged against Yediyurappa under the Pocso Act and Section 354 A (Sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Sadashivanagar police station on March 14.
Notably, on June 14 while hearing the petition filed by Yediyurappa for quashing of the POCSO case and a petition seeking interim bail, the Karnataka high court ordered the investigating agency to not take any coercive measures against the former chief minister and directed him to appear before the investigators on June 17.
“The arrest is kept on hold until the next date of hearing,” single judge bench of Justice S. Krishna Dixit said, The Indian Express reported. He further asked the advocate general, “He is no Tom, Dick or Harry. He is not a bandicoot. He is the former chief minister of the state. Is it your case that he will flee away from the country by going to Delhi? So many things are taking shape in the political arena. He will come back. What is that he will be able to do going to Delhi?”
A day prior to this development, an Additional City Civil and Sessions and Fast Track Special Court (FTSC-1) on June 13 had issued a non-bailable warrant against Yediyurappa.
Also read: Why a BJP Supporter Started a Fight Against B.S. Yediyurappa for Allegedly Abusing Her Daughter
The Hindu had earlier reported that a writ petition was filed by the victim’s brother in the Karnataka high court asking why Yediyurappa was not arrested in connection with the case yet following which the CID had issued summons to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader to appear for questioning on June 12. The department moved the court seeking Yediyurappa arrest since he responded saying he was in New Delhi and would appear for questioning on June 17.
The complainant who was the mother of the victim has passed away due to lungs cancer last month.
DH reported that the CID has recovered Rs 35,000 cash allegedly given to the victim and her mother, mobile phone belonging to the victim and her mother, retrieved data from the mobile phones and voice samples of Yediyurappa.
