Woman who accused Yediyurappa of molesting her daughter dies of cancer

A 54-year-old woman who accused senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader B S Yediyurappa of allegedly sexually abusing her 17-year-old daughter died at a private hospital in Bengaluru due to lung cancer, police said on Monday.

Based on her complaint lodged in March, the former Karnataka CM was booked under the POCSO Act.

According to police, the woman had alleged that Yediyurappa sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting on February 2.

Denying the charge, the 81-year-old BJP Parliamentary Board member had said he would fight the case legally.

"The woman was diagnosed with lung cancer in the past and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital. On Sunday night, she passed away and as per doctors treating her, she was in the advanced stage of lung cancer," they said.

On March 14, hours after the Sadashivanagar police registered the case under section 8 of the POCSO Act and Section 354 A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Karnataka Director General of Police Alok Mohan issued an order transferring it to Crime Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation with immediate effect.

The CID has so far recorded the statement of the victim and her mother under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), they added.