'He Is Former CM, Not Some...': Karnataka High Court Stays Arrest Of Yediyurappa In POCSO Case

The Karnataka High Court has issued an order restraining the police from arresting former chief minister B S Yediyurappa in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case.

The court, however, has instructed Yediyurappa to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the investigating officer on 17 June.

The order was passed by a single bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit while considering an appeal against an order by a Bengaluru Court which issued a non-bailable warrant against the former chief minister.

"Holistic view is to be taken. If he was an unscrupulous person, he would not have appeared before IO on the issuance of the first notice. In life so many things happen mandamus issued by highest court would also not be abided by. What heavens will fall in four or five days. The way things are being done there is doubt in the mind of the court that there is some hidden thing," the Bench observed

It added, "Here is an Ex-CM. He followed your first notice and cooperated with the investigation. Then you issued a second notice. It is your power and he said I will come on 17-06-2024, it is not his case that he will not come back to Karnataka."

"He (Yediyurappa) is not some Tom, Dick and Harry; nor he is a bandit, he is former CM of the state. Will he abscond?," Justice Dikshit said, Livelaw reported.

The Advocate General argued that the need for custodial interrogation was at the sole discretion of the investigating officer, citing concerns about tampering and destruction of evidence.

However, the court disagreed, pointing out that Yediyurappa had already committed in writing to appear before the police on 17 June and therefore his custody was not needed.

"If former CM is being treated like this then what must be happening to a lay man," the bench observed.

Also Read: Chhattisgarh's Push Against Left Wing Extremism: Eight Maoists Killed in Latest Encounter, 130+ Naxals Eliminated In 2024