HC reserves order on Yediyurappa’s plea on POCSO case

Bengaluru: The High Court has reserved its order on a petition filed by former chief minister B S Yediyurappa challenging the cognisance taken by a lower court in a case registered against him under the POCSO Act.

The 81-year-old BJP veteran has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl at his residence in Sanjaynagar, Bengaluru, on February 2, 2024. The girl's mother, who has since passed away, had reportedly approached Yediyurappa seeking help regarding a previous sexual assault case involving her daughter. Following her comlaint, the Bengaluru police registered an FIR on March 14, 2024. This is the second time Yediyurappa has approached the High Court against the trial court's cognisance order.

His earlier plea was allowed, with a bench led by Justice M Nagaprasanna setting aside the order for being issued 'without application of mind' and directing the lower court to reconsider the matter afresh. During the current proceedings, Justice M I Arun's bench examined whether the trial court had properly reassessed the case materials before taking cognisance again. It was further submitted that since the validity of the cognisance order itself is under judicial consideration