Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
New Delhi/Bengaluru: In a major legal development, the Supreme Court of India has granted interim relief to former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa by staying the ongoing trial proceedings in the POCSO case registered against him.
The order came during the hearing of Yediyurappa’s petition challenging the Fast-Track Court’s decision to move forward with the trial based on what his legal team described as questionable evidence, including an alleged audio clipping.
According to court sources, the Fast-Track Court had earlier scheduled the trial date and issued summons in the POCSO case. Yediyurappa’s counsel argued before the Supreme Court that the trial court proceeded without fully examining all supporting documents and without considering legal objections.
Taking note of these submissions, the Supreme Court stayed further proceedings, directing that the complete case records and relevant documents be produced before it.
Arguments Raised by Yediyurappa’s Lawyers
Senior advocates representing the former CM submitted that:
- The voice clipping cited as evidence has not been scientifically authenticated.
- Mandatory verification procedures were allegedly bypassed.
- The trial court’s decision to proceed was done in undue haste.
The Supreme Court bench acknowledged the concerns and ordered that no coercive action or further trial steps shall be taken until the matter is fully examined.
Next Hearing
The matter will come up again after the Supreme Court reviews the detailed case documents, including the Fast-Track Court’s order and all supporting materials submitted by both sides.
This interim order effectively halts the POCSO trial against Yediyurappa until further directions from the apex court.
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