Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP stalwart B S Yediyurappa was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for three hours on Monday in connection with a POCSO case filed against him.
Yediyurappa appeared before the CID team following a summons for an inquiry related to the case. "He was questioned for three hours," a CID officer confirmed.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier restrained the CID from arresting the veteran BJP leader concerning the case registered on March 14.
According to police, Yediyurappa has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and Section 354 A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The case was filed based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, who alleged that Yediyurappa molested her daughter during a meeting at his residence in Dollars Colony on February 2 this year.
Yediyurappa has denied the allegations, stating, "People would teach a lesson to those indulging in conspiracies against me."
The victim's brother recently filed a petition in court, alleging that despite the case being registered nearly three months ago, there has been no progress in the investigation.
The petitioner requested Yediyurappa's arrest and interrogation. Following the registration of the case by the Sadashivanagar police in March, Karnataka Director General of Police Alok Mohan transferred it to the CID for further investigation.
The 54-year-old woman who made the accusation against Yediyurappa passed away last month at a private hospital due to lung cancer.
In April, the CID collected Yediyurappa's voice sample after summoning him to their office.