CID to investigate POCSO case against former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa

Bengaluru (Karnataka): The Karnataka government has decided to hand over the investigation of the case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), officials said on Friday.

An order regarding the transfer of the case to the CID was issued by the office of Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police, Alok Mohan.

"The case registered in Bengaluru City Sadashivnagar Police Station under crime number 0084/2024 under sections Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 is transferred to CID for further investigation with immediate effect. The case file should be handed over to CID for further investigation, forthwith," read the order copy.

"The Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City is directed to send the case file with the concerned I.O to hand over personally to the Investigation Officer in CID," it said.

"The Director General of Police, CID, Special Units and Economic Offences, Bangalore may please arrange to take up further investigation.

After the completion of the investigation of the case please send the detailed report to this office, " it added.

Karnataka's former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa faces an FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 over the alleged sexual assault case of a minor girl.

As per the FIR, the alleged offence took place on February 2 in Bengaluru and the FIR was filed by a police station in the city.

The FIR alleges that the victim was sexually harassed when she went to seek help on February 2. The victim had sought help in a case related to another alleged sexual assault on her.

The FIR claims that the senior BJP leader allegedly sexually assaulted the victim after dragging her inside a room. When the victim ran out of the room, she complained to her mother about the alleged assault.

The victim alleged in the FIR that she was allegedly sexually harassed when she went to seek help related to an incident in which she was raped by others.

Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's mother, the senior BJP leader was booked under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and also under 354 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Reacting to allegations of sexual assault against him in the police FIR, Yediyurappa claimed that a few days ago, a "distressed woman seeking help" came to his house and he had "brought the matter to the attention of the police."

Following this, the BJP leader said later the woman started to talk against him.

The 81-year-old veteran leader said, "A few days ago a woman came to our house, she was crying that there was some problem, I asked what is the matter, and she said that there was some problem, I called the police commissioner about this and told him to fix her problem, then she started talking against me."

"I have brought this matter to the attention of the police commissioner, yesterday they filed a complaint against me in the police station, let's see what happens next, it cannot be said that there is a political motive behind this," he said.