BS Yediyurappa booked under POCSO, survivor’s mother alleges harassment by BJP leader

The minor is already a rape survivor.

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The complaint

In her complaint, the 17-year-old girl’s mother alleged that Yediyurappa sexually harassed the minor when she took her along to meet the BJP leader. The complainant claimed that she visited Yediyurappa to seek help in getting justice in a cheating case.

The complainant alleged that the BJP leader held the minor’s hand throughout the conversation and later took her to a separate room. It was here, the complainant alleged, that Yediyurappa sexually harassed her. The complaint said the child rushed out of the room weeping when the doors were unlocked.

“When I questioned why he did this, he said it was to check whether she was raped or not,” the mother claimed in her complaint.

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BS Yediyurappa denies allegations

Responding to the police case, Yediyurappa said the mother and daughter used to visit him till one-and-a-half months ago.

“The mother and daughter often used to come here but we did not entertain them,” he told reporters on Friday.

“Once when she was in tears, we called her inside and asked about her problems. She complained of injustice and other things. I telephoned the police commissioner (Bengaluru City) and asked him to look into their complaint. I sent them to the commissioner’s office. Thereafter, she started to create a nuisance,” the former chief minister said.

Yediyurappa said she did not seem to be in good health and he felt there was no use in talking to her.

“Now, I am told that an FIR has been registered. We will face the law. This is an example of what you get in return for trying to help someone in need. When she said that she was in difficulty, I gave her money also,” he added.

Yediyurappa said he did not want to unnecessarily state that the FIR was a result of a political conspiracy.

Before Yediyurappa responded to the allegations, his team had already vehemently denied them.

“The complainant has a shady track record. She has filed cases against several people, including her husband, police officers investigating the rape case of her daughter, and leaders of Opposition parties as well,” said an aide of Yediyurappa.

The BJP leader’s team released a set of documents listing the cases the complainant had filed. The list showed 53 cases filed by the complainant over the years against several persons including police officers, accusing them of dereliction of duty in probing the rape case.

Also Read: Two victims of POCSO cases die by suicide in separate incidents

Home minister confirms case

Confirming that a case has been registered against Yediyurappa, Home Minister G Parameshwara said the woman approached the Sadashivnagar police around 10 pm on Thursday with a complaint saying her daughter was molested.

“The investigation is now on. Until and unless we know the truth, we cannot reveal anything,” he told reporters on Friday, 15 March.

“This is a sensitive thing because it involves a former chief minister of our state,” he added.

Responding to a specific query, Parameshwara ruled out any political angle in the case. “We don’t know the lady and we don’t know anything about it (the alleged incident). She went to the police station herself and the police registered a case.

He added that the police did not refuse to register the case and the investigation was on.

The home minister further said the police would summon Yediyurappa only if necessary after the preliminary probe.

BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra is the president of Karnataka BJP state unit. His other son, BY Raghavendra, is the sitting MP of Shimoga and the BJP’s candidate from the same constituency for Lok Sabha polls.