“Stay on Yediyurappa’s arrest exposes how justice is being delivered selectively”: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 16 (ANI): Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday criticized the Karnataka High Court’s decision to stay the arrest of BJP leader B S Yediyurappa in a POCSO case and said that it exposed “how justice is being delivered selectively.”

In contrast, she cited the examples of the arrest of former chief ministers of Jharkhand and Delhi, who, she said, were jailed on “far lesser charges.”

Hemant Soren was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the land scam case in January. He also faces allegations of money laundering while Kejriwal was arrested by ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

“Karnataka High Court’s stay on BJPs BS Yediyurappa’s arrest in POSCO case stating that the accused being a former CM is not going to go anywhere stands in contrast to the treatment meted out to another ex CM Hemant soren & sitting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal both behind bars since months on far lesser charges. It exposes how justice is being delivered selectively,” Mufti said in a post on X.

On Friday, the Karnataka High Court issued an order stating that coercive proceedings of arrest and detention against Yediyurappa will be kept on hold until the next date of hearing. The order of the High Court followed a letter from the petitioner (Yediyurappa) volunteering to appear before police on June 17.

A Bengaluru court had on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against Yediyurappa directing his immediate arrest in connection with sexual assault against a minor girl under the Protection of the Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) which deals with sexual assault cases against minors.

Earlier in March, the mother of the victim filed a complaint against the former Chief Minister at the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru, alleging that Yediyiurappa had sexually assaulted her daughter. In this regard, the brother of the victim filed a petition in court against the BJP leader.

The fast-track court hearing the petition issued a non-bailable warrant against the former CM of Karnataka, directing his immediate arrest.