Yediyurappa
Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has suffered a major setback in the POCSO case registered against him in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in 2024. The Karnataka High Court on Thursday refused to cancel the summons issued by the fast-track court and upheld the cognizance order.
A single-judge bench of Justice M.I. Arun ruled that there is no ground to quash the proceedings, adding that Yediyurappa may seek exemption from personal appearance whenever it is not necessary for him to be physically present. The High Court directed the trial court to consider any such exemption plea sympathetically.
Earlier, on February 28, the fast-track court had taken cognizance of the chargesheet and issued summons to Yediyurappa as well as three others accused of aiding and destroying evidence. All four had approached the High Court seeking to quash the summons, but the court has now rejected their petitions.
With the earlier summons date having lapsed, the fast-track court will now fix a fresh date for appearance and re-issue the summons. Yediyurappa will be required to appear before the court, especially during critical stages of the trial.
The POCSO case has been pending for nearly one and a half years, with the chargesheet already filed. The High Court’s refusal to intervene means the trial will now proceed without delay, and the fast-track court may deliver a verdict sooner than expected.
Legal experts note that the decision marks a significant development in the case, placing the former CM in a challenging legal position as the trial is set to begin shortly.
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