The Supreme Court has stayed the POCSO trial against former Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa and issued notice challenging the Karnataka High Court’s order, putting a temporary hold on proceedings while the legal review continues.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has issued notice on former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s plea challenging the Karnataka High Court’s refusal to quash the POCSO case filed against him. The Court has also stayed the trial proceedings until the next hearing, a temporary halt to the ongoing matter before the special POCSO court.
The petition was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi.
Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, assisted by Senior Advocate Sidharth Dave, appeared for Yediyurappa. He argued that the High Court had failed to consider witness statements that allegedly contradicted the complainant’s narrative.
“The High Court has ignored the presence of witnesses who said they saw nothing of the alleged incident.”
Advocate Luthra
Emphasizing the petitioner’s personal circumstances, Luthra highlighted that Yediyurappa is an 88-year-old public figure and four-time Chief Minister, adding that prolonged litigation is causing hardship.
Responding, the CJI questioned the scope of judicial review at the High Court stage:
“Why should the High Court conduct a mini-trial?”
CJI Surya Kant
The Bench noted that during the earlier round of litigation, the High Court had already clarified (specifically in paragraph 21(5) and 21(6) of its previous order) that several contentions had not been examined on the merits. Except for the challenge to the cognisance order, other issues remained open for the petitioner.
The Court issued notice only on the question of remanding the matter back to the trial court for fresh consideration, indicating that it would not evaluate the merits of the allegations at this stage.
Interim Order
- Trial proceedings have been stayed
- The next hearing will determine whether the case requires reconsideration at the trial court level
Background
The POCSO case against former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa arose from an FIR filed on March 14, 2024, alleging the sexual assault of a minor during a visit to his residence on February 2, 2024. After investigation, the CID filed a chargesheet on June 27, 2024, naming Yediyurappa and three associates, Rudresh M., Arun Y.M., and Mariswamy G., accusing them of attempting to destroy evidence and silence the complainant.
The special POCSO court first took cognisance on July 4, 2024, but the Karnataka High Court set aside the order on February 7, 2025, which directed the trial court to reconsider the matter afresh. The special court then again took cognisance on February 28, 2025, and issued summons for March 15, 2025, prompting another challenge.
On November 13, 2025, the Karnataka High Court upheld the February 28 cognisance order, allowing the trial to proceed and issuing fresh summons requiring appearance on December 2, 2025. The High Court also noted that Yediyurappa’s personal presence at every hearing is not mandatory unless specifically needed. The decision led Yediyurappa to move to the Supreme Court by way of a Special Leave Petition, where he now seeks a stay on proceedings.
ALSO READ: Trial Must Continue: Karnataka HC Refuses to Quash POCSO Case Against B.S. Yediyurappa
Case Title:
B.S. YEDDYURAPPA V THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATING DEPARTMENT
SLP(Crl) No. 19287/2025
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