Court Rules BS Yediyurappa Cannot Be Arrested in Sexual Assault Case Until Next Hearing

 

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that no coercive action, including arrest, can be taken against BS Yediyurappa until the next hearing on June 17, in connection with a sexual harassment case involving a minor.

A non-bailable warrant was issued on Thursday against the 81-year-old former Chief Minister under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. His son, BY Raghavendra, has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

The charges stem from a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl on March 14, accusing Yediyurappa of sexually assaulting her daughter during a meeting at his residence in Dollars Colony on February 2. Yediyurappa's lawyer claimed that the complainant had a history of filing cases and engaging in blackmail.

The mother of the victim passed away from cancer on May 26. The case has sparked strong reactions from both the Congress and the BJP. The BJP Karnataka posted on social media, accusing the Congress of conspiring against the BJP following their defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and attempting to arrest Yediyurappa based on a complaint from a woman they described as mentally unstable.