Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa found himself embroiled in a legal controversy on Thursday, as he was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly harassing a minor at his residence in Bengaluru last month.

The incident unfolded when a woman filed a complaint, alleging that she had visited Yediyurappa’s residence on February 2 to seek justice in a rape case involving her daughter. She urged for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter thoroughly.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Yediyurappa purportedly escorted the minor into a room, closed the door, and subjected her to sexual harassment. The woman claimed in the FIR that when she confronted Yediyurappa, he justified his actions by stating that he was merely checking if the girl had been raped. Subsequently, Yediyurappa allegedly apologized and urged the woman to keep the incident confidential.

Authorities at the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru promptly registered a case against Yediyurappa under Section 8 (commit sexual assault) of the POCSO Act and Section 354 (a) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).