Court takes fresh cognisance of chargesheet against Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: A special court here on Friday issued summons to veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa and three other accused in connection with a POCSO Act case to appear before it on March 15. The court which handles cases booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act took fresh cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) against 82-year-old Yediyurappa, a former chief minister.

The Karnataka High Court on February 7 had directed the special court to consider afresh and pass appropriate orders on the CID’s final report in the case. The High Court had issued this order while partly allowing the petition filed by Yediyurappa challenging proceedings against him under the POCSO Act, and remitting back to the trial court the criminal case registered against him. It had also granted anticipatory bail to him.

The case was registered on March 14 last year based on a complaint lodged by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who alleged that Yediyurappa sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting on February 2, at his residence in Dollars Colony here.