BENGALURU: In the run-up to the announcement of the Lok Sabha election, senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa was booked under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly assaulting a minor girl.
As per the FIR the alleged offence took place on February 2 in Bengaluru and the FIR was filed by a police station in the city. Based on the complaint filed by the victim, the police registered a case under POCSO and IPC 354 (A) against Yediyurappa.
As per the FIR, registered late on Thursday, the victim was allegedly sexually harassed when she went to seek Yediyurappa’s help on February 2 in connection with another alleged sexual assault. The FIR claims that the senior BJP leader allegedly sexually assaulted the victim after taking her inside a room. When the victim ran out of the room, she complained to her mother about the alleged assault.
Based on the mother’s complaint, Yediyurappa was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and 354 (A) of the Indian Penal Code. The victim alleged in the FIR that she was allegedly sexually harassed when she went to seek help related to an incident in which she was raped by others.
Reacting to this, Yediyurappa told media persons on Friday, “I have come to know that a woman has lodged a complaint against me. About a month-and-half ago, the mother-daughter duo had met me. Since they were crying, I took them inside and spoke to them. They told me about their problems and I called up Police Commissioner Dayanand and sent them to him”.
Further, he said, “I have come to know that an FIR has been filed now. I will face it legally. I had never imagined that it would take this turn though I was only trying to help. I had even given them some money as they were in trouble”. He refused to comment whether it was a political conspirancy.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he was not aware of the details. “We have a very competent Home Minister and he will speak about the issue”, he said.
Briefing the media, Home Minister G Parameshwara said, “Last night around 10 pm, a lady registered a complaint against B S Yediyurappa. Police have registered a case and taken up investigation. Some say that the woman is mentally disturbed. The complaint has been typed out and is not hand-written. Until we know the truth, we can’t reveal anything. This is a sensitive thing as it involves a former CM”.
Stating that it is a ‘sensitive matter’, te also said that the police will offer protection to the distressed woman. To a query, he said, “I don’t think there is any political angle to this. We do not know the woman, we do not know anything about it. Let us wait for the outcome of the case”.