The chargesheet against former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, who is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegedly sexually abusing a young girl, claims that the BJP leader and three other accused paid money to the alleged victim and her mother in exchange for their silence.
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act’s Section 8 (punishment for sexual assault) and the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 354-A (sexual harassment), 204 (destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence), and 214 (offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender) are the charges brought against the 81-year-old Yediyurappa.
The chargesheet for the other three co-accused, Yediyurappa’s aides Arun YM, Rudresh M, and G Mariswamy, was filed at the Fast Track Court 1 for POCSO Act cases here on Thursday. The charges are under Sections 204 and 214 of the IPC.
The chargesheet states that on February 2, at approximately 11.15 am, the 17-year-old accused victim and her 54-year-old mother, who is the complainant, went to see Yediyurappa at his Dollar’s Colony home in order to ask for assistance in obtaining justice in a prior case of sexual assault (on the daughter) as well as other matters.
It stated that Yediyurappa was holding the victim’s right wrist with his left hand while he spoke to the mother.
Subsequently, Yediyurappa summoned the minor to a nearby meeting room and shut the door. He then asked the victim whether she remembered the face of the person who had sexually assaulted her earlier to which the victim replied twice saying that she did, the chargesheet said.
After this Yediyurappa asked her what her age was then, to which she replied six-and-a-half; at this point he tried to sexually assault her, the CID alleged.
The appalled victim reportedly shoved Yediyurappa’s hand, stepped aside, and asked him to open the door. Then Yediyurappa opened the door and left after giving the victim some money that he had taken out of his pocket. According to the chargesheet, he then informed the victim’s mother that he was unable to assist them with the case, gave her some cash out of his pocket, and sent them on their way.
