Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa
Supreme Court halts trial against former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa in POCSO case
New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed trial proceedings against former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in a POCSO case related to the alleged sexual assault of a minor. The stay came while a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi, heard Yediyurappa’s Special Leave Petition challenging the Karnataka High Court’s November 13 decision refusing to quash the case. The Live Law reported.
It may be recalled that trial court had summoned Yediyurappa to appear on December 2 after Karnataka High Court upheld the trial court’s decision and rejected accused’s petition.
The Court issued notices to the State CID and the complainant, limiting the scope to examining whether the matter should be sent back to the High Court for a fresh hearing on merits. Senior Advocates Siddharth Luthra and Siddharth Dave, appearing for Yediyurappa, argued that the High Court erred by declining to consider the merits, relying instead on earlier findings that the matter should proceed to trial. They contended that previous judicial directions—while setting aside the first cognizance order—had allowed Yediyurappa to raise objections at later stages.
Luthra told the bench that his client, an 88-year-old four-time Chief Minister, was suffering due to “political vendetta”.
According to the complaint filed by the victim’s mother, the alleged assault took place in February 2023 at Yediyurappa’s Bengaluru residence. The Sadashivanagar police registered an FIR on March 14, 2024, before the case was transferred to the CID, which re-registered the FIR and eventually filed a chargesheet. The CID booked offences under Section 8 of the POCSO Act and Sections 354A, 204, 214 read with Section 37 of the IPC.
On February 7, the High Court set aside the trial court’s initial cognizance order but upheld the investigation and final report, directing a fresh decision. Subsequently, on February 28, the Special Court issued a second cognisance order.