Yediyurappa has been booked under the POCSO Act based on a complaint by the mother of a minor girl who alleged that he molested her daughter.
Published Nov 19, 2025 | 11:47 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 19, 2025 | 12:15 PM
BS Yediyurappa. Credit: x.com/BSYBJP
Synopsis: A Bengaluru fast-track court issued fresh summons to BJP leader and ex-Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa and three aides in a POCSO case alleging sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in February 2024. They must appear on 2 December. The Karnataka High Court recently upheld cognisance of the chargesheet but granted Yediyurappa exemption from personal appearance unless essential, along with anticipatory bail. The complainant mother died in May 2024.
A fast-track court in Bengaluru on Tuesday issued fresh summons to BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and three other co-accused in a case involving allegations of sexual assault on a minor girl. All four accused have been directed to appear before the court on 2 December.
Judge S Sujatha held that there will be no prejudice caused to the accused if the matter is posted for early appearance and accordingly directed issuance of summons to all four accused (Yediyurappa and his close associates) in the case, according to a report by Bar and Bench.
The development comes days after the Karnataka High Court refused to quash the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case lodged against the BJP leader after multiple rounds of interim stays since the complaint came to the fore. Justice MI Arun upheld the trial court order dated 28 February — taking cognisance of the alleged offence and issuing summons to the BJP leader.
However, the single judge asked the trial court to not insist upon Yediyurappa’s presence, unless it is necessary during the course of the trial. “The trail court will entertain the exemption application filed on behalf of A-1, unless his presence is essential,” the judge said.
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 at his residence in Dollars Colony in Bengaluru.
The Sadashivanagar police had registered a case against him on 14 March 2024. The case was then transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation which re-registered the FIR and filed a chargesheet.
While a special court for cases filed under the POCSO Act had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the BJP leader in June 2024 after taking cognisance of the chargesheet, the Karnataka High Court had restrained the CID from arresting him after he expressed his willingness to appear for investigations.
After several rounds of litigation, a special court on 28 February took fresh cognisance of the case and summoned Yediyurappa for appearance on 15 March. However, he challenged this again before the HC.
On 13 November, a single-judge bench of the court upheld the trial court’s cognisance of the chargesheet and said that due process had been followed by the special court.
The 54-year-old woman, who had levelled the charge against him, had also written to the state women’s commission in April 2024 alleging lapses in police investigation.
“… the CID is violating the stringent POCSO laws by not arresting the POCSO case accused, the powerful ex-CM BS Yediyurappa, and the sexual pervert is roaming freely,” she wrote in the letter. She later died at a private hospital in May 2024, due to lung cancer.
The BJP veteran has however denied the charge, and said “people would teach a lesson to those indulging in conspiracies against him.” Currently, Yediyurappa has protection against arrest in the form of anticipatory bail granted by the Karnataka High Court in February.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
