Former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa appears before CID for inquiry in POCSO case
Bengaluru (PTI): Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for an inquiry in connection with a POCSO case registered against him.
The Karnataka High Court on Friday restrained the CID from arresting the veteran BJP leader in connection with the March 14 case.
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) based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who alleged that he molested her daughter during a meeting on February two this year, at his residence in Dollars Colony here.
Yediyurappa has denied the charge, and said "people would teach a lesson to those indulging in conspiracies against him."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Top Akali Dal leaders hold separate meeting, seek change in party leadership
Chandigarh: A rebellion seems to be brewing in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after a section of senior leaders held a separate meeting in Jalandhar and skipped a meeting called by party president Sukhbir Badal in Chandigarh.
The rebel leaders spoke on the need for a change in the party following SAD's poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections, while addressing a press conference after their meeting in Jalandhar,
Among those present at the rebel meeting were Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sikander Singh Maluka, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, and Sarwan Singh Phillaur. They announced plans to launch a 'SAD Bachao' movement next month.
"It was discussed seriously as to why Akali Dal has become so weak... We have fallen from the sky to the ground. A change in the party is necessary," said Prem Singh Chandumajra.
Another rebel leader, Bibi Jagir Kaur, accused Sukhbir Singh Badal of ignoring party leaders. "All supporters of SAD are worried about how to rise back from the situation in which we are. We have tried to speak to the party chief (Sukhbir Singh Badal) but he never listens to us. He does not try to rectify the shortcomings," Kaur said, as quoted by ANI.
"We are worried about why the people of Punjab are not accepting us... We will go to the Akal Takht Sahib on July 1 and ask for forgiveness for the losses that occurred because of our silence," she added.
Meanwhile, Sukhbir Badal held a meeting with district presidents and other leaders in Chandigarh to review the party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
The SAD managed to secure only one of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in the elections, with their vote share plummeting to 13.42 percent from 27.45 percent in 2019.
Responding to the rebel leaders' meeting in Jalandhar, the Akali Dal described the dissenters as "frustrated elements sponsored by the BJP" trying to "weaken" the party.
Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema remarked that the rebel leaders should have waited for the working committee meeting on June 26 before holding a separate meeting. "In a democracy, there is always a difference of opinion... If one or two people have a difference of opinion, then it is not a revolt," Cheema stated.
"The meeting of the working committee is on June 26. If you express your opinion before the meeting, then that becomes doubtful. It looks preplanned. It looks as if you are not interested in the improvement or the upliftment of the party, and you said something just because you wanted to. Otherwise, there was a need to wait. They should have participated and listened to what others had to say. After that, they could have presented their view," Cheema added, according to ANI.
