The Karnataka High Court has rejected former CM B.S. Yediyurappa’s plea to quash the POCSO case against him, ruling that the trial must continue before the Special Court while granting limited relief on his personal appearance.
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BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has declined to quash the POCSO case filed against former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, ruling that the trial must go on before the Special Court in Bengaluru. Justice M.I. Arun upheld the lower court’s decision to take cognizance of the charges while granting the senior BJP leader limited relief regarding his personal attendance.
In his order, Justice Arun maintained that the Special Court’s February 28 cognizance order was valid and legally sound. He directed, however, that Yediyurappa’s personal appearance should not be demanded at every hearing unless the judge considers it necessary. Any application seeking exemption from appearance, the court said, should generally be allowed.
The bench also clarified that the former CM retains the right to move a discharge plea, seeking to drop the case before the trial formally begins.
Background of the Case
The case arose from a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, who alleged that Yediyurappa sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting at his Bengaluru residence in February 2024.
The Sadashivanagar police initially registered an FIR on March 14, 2024, which was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The CID re-registered the FIR and subsequently filed a chargesheet against the former Chief Minister.
Legal Journey
This is the second time the trial court has taken cognizance of the case. The first cognizance order, issued in early February 2025, was set aside by the High Court after observing that the trial judge had not applied his mind adequately. Nevertheless, the court upheld both the CID’s investigation and the final report.
Following that ruling, the Special Court reissued a fresh cognizance order on February 28, which led to the current challenge before the High Court.
Arguments in Court
Appearing for Yediyurappa, Senior Advocate C.V. Nagesh argued that the case was politically motivated and built on weak evidence. He pointed out that the complainant and her daughter had interacted with senior police officials in February 2024 but made no allegations until weeks later. According to him, several witnesses confirmed that no misconduct took place at the alleged meeting.
Countering these claims, Special Public Prosecutor Prof. Ravivarma Kumar defended the Special Court’s order, saying it was well-reasoned and issued after due consideration of the victim’s statement and supporting materials.
High Court’s Decision
After hearing both sides, the High Court held that the material on record was sufficient to justify a trial. It ruled that quashing the proceedings at this stage would be inappropriate, as the trial court must examine the evidence in detail.
With this, the trial against Yediyurappa under the POCSO Act will proceed before the Special POCSO Court in Bengaluru, while the veteran leader will not be required to appear in person unless summoned specifically.
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