Yediyurappa has been charged under Section 8 of the POCSO Act and Sections 354A , 204 and 214 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
File photo of BS Yediyurappa. (Supllied)
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing charges against former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa of sexually assaulting a minor girl, has alleged in the charge sheet that the BJP leader and three other accused paid money to the alleged victim and her mother to buy their silence.
The 81-year-old Yediyurappa has been charged under Section 8 (punishment for sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 204 (destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence) and 214 (offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The other three co-accused — Arun YM, Rudresh M and G Mariswamy who are aides of Yediyurappa — are charged under IPC Sections 204 and 214, in the chargesheet filed at the Fast Track Court 1 for POCSO Act cases in Bengaluru on Thursday, 27 June.
On Friday, the Karnataka High Court bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit continued its 14 June order, as it permitted the prosecution to file its objection to the petition filed by Yediyurappa seeking quashing of the case against him.
The Special Public Prosecutor sought time to file objections and maintained that Yediyurappa’s petition may not survive as a chargesheet has already been filed.
The court then said: “Call these matters week after next at the request of learned Special Public Prosecutor for filing statement of objections if any. Interim order granted earlier to continue till next date of hearing.”
According to the charge sheet, on 2 February this year, at around 11.15 am, the 17-year-old alleged victim, along with her 54-year-old mother — the complainant — visited Yediyurappa at his residence in Dollar’s Colony in Bengaluru seeking help in getting justice in a previous case of sexual assault (on the daughter) and other issues.
While Yediyurappa was speaking with the mother, he was holding the victim’s right wrist with his left hand, it said.
Yediyurappa then called the minor inside a meeting room next to the hall and locked the door. He then asked the victim whether she remembered the face of the person who had sexually assaulted her earlier to which the victim replied twice stating that she did, the chargesheet said.
After this Yediyurappa asked her what her age was then, to which she replied six-and-half; at this point, he allegedly tried to sexually assault her, the CID alleged.
The horrified victim pushed Yediyurappa’s hand, moved away and asked him to open the door. Yediyurappa then opened the door and exited after putting some cash in the hands of the victim from his pocket. He then told the victim’s mother that he couldn’t help them in the case and also gave her some money from his pocket and sent them away, the chargesheet said.
After the victim’s mother uploaded a video related to the incident on her Facebook account, on 20 February, at the behest of Yediyurappa, the other accused — Arun, Rudresh and Mariswamy — went to their house and brought them to his residence, it said.
According to the charge sheet, Arun then ensured that the victim’s mother deleted the video from her Facebook account and her iPhone’s gallery. On Yediyurappa’s directions, Rudresh is said to have paid the alleged victim ₹2 lakh in cash.
After the Sadashivanagar police in Bengaluru registered a case of molestation in March against the BJP stalwart, the Karnataka Director General of Police Alok Mohan issued an order transferring it to the CID for further investigation.
Yediyurappa had denied the charge, and said “People would teach a lesson to those indulging in conspiracies against me.”
“The mother and daughter often used to come here but we did not entertain them,” he had told media two weeks back, denying the allegations.
“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.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier passed orders restraining the CID from arresting Yediyurappa in the case.
After a special court in Bengaluru issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former Karnataka chief minister in the POCSO case, the high court on 14 June, had restrained the CID from arresting him.
It also directed the veteran BJP leader to appear before CID, which is probing the case, on 17 June. On that day, he was questioned by the CID for three hours.
The 54-year-old woman, who had levelled the charge against Yediyurappa, died at a private hospital last month, due to lung cancer.
While issuing the order, the High Court questioned the need to arrest him.
Justice S Krishna Dixit noted that Yediyurappa is the former chief minister of Karnataka and not some Tom, Dick or Harry. “He is not some Tom, Dick or Harry. He is a former Chief Minister of State. Is it your case he will flee the country? What can he do by leaving to Delhi from Bangalore,” asked the Justice.
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 12 June. Yediyurappa had sought time to join the probe.
The lawyers representing Yediyurappa had confirmed the same to South First.
(With PTI inputs)
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