With the Lok Sabha elections just around the corner, the BJP is facing a setback as the Sadashivanagar police on Thursday night registered an FIR against BJP veteran and former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor at his Bengaluru residence.
The police have registered a case under the POCSO Act and section 354(a) (sexual harassment) of the IPC.
The complainant, mother of a 17-year-old girl, stated that she, along with her minor daughter, a rape victim, had visited the former CM’s residence on February 2 around 11 am to seek help in a cheating case related to trading business.
As per the FIR, the complainant alleged that Yediyurappa listened to her problems for “nine minutes” and when she urged him to get the cheating case investigated by a special investigation team (SIT), he said he could not help her in the matter. Further, the woman alleged that all through the conversation Yediyurappa was holding her daughter’s hand and later took the minor girl into a room and sexually harassed her by touching her inappropriately.
“I did not have the courage to report the matter earlier. But now, I thought the issue is too serious to be ignored,” stated the complainant in the FIR.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar rushing to the home minister’s residence on Friday morning had led to speculations over the authenticity of Yediyurappa’s case. Incidentally, the complainant, a 53-year-old woman has filed around 53 cases against various people including former police officers Alok Kumar and Bhaskar Rao and their staff for “supporting” alleged criminals and “ruining her life”. Two videos purportedly taken by the complainant during her visit to Yediyurappa’s residence have also surfaced where the mother is seen holding Yediyurappa’s hand while talking to him.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed that a complaint had been lodged by a woman on Thursday night.
“The FIR has been filed after examining the complaint. The investigation will begin soon. Some people have informed me that the woman is mentally unstable. However, we have filed an FIR based on her complaint which was given to the police in a typed letter. As it involves a senior leader and a former chief minister, it is a very sensitive issue. We will investigate the case,” said Parameshwar.
Yediyurappa, who convened an emergency press meeting at his residence on Friday morning said, “A woman has filed a complaint against me. I have seen this woman and her daughter standing outside the house several times. But I never entertained them. But last month, since they were crying, I invited them into the house and inquired about their problem.”
The former CM further said, “They told me they had suffered injustice. I called the police commissioner Dayanand and asked him to help them. But they started talking ill about me and I sensed that they had some mental health issues. I asked them to contact the police commissioner. The police commissioner spoke to them.”
Yediyurappa alleged that the woman had now twisted the case and filed an FIR against him.
“I will deal with it legally. But I am wondering how helping someone can backfire. I had even given them some money as they said they had hardship. Now this is the development. I did not anticipate this. But I will face it,” he added.
