Yeddyurappa, Others Acquitted in Rs 40-Crore Mining Bribery Case

Yeddyurappa’s acquittal can be seen as a huge personal victory for him and the BJP in Karnataka.

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

On Wednesday, a CBI special court acquitted former Karnataka chief minister and state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa and all others in the Rs 40-crore mining bribery case.

Yeddyurappa, his two sons, a son-in-law, steel major JSW Steel and four Bellary-based JSW Steel affiliates were accused of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in the case.

In the judgement delivered at a packed court hall, Judge RB Dharmagouder exonerated nine other accused in the kickback case following indictment by the then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde.

Yeddyurappa had been sent to Bangalore central jail in October 2011 in connection with the case but was released on bail within three weeks.

The CBI had filed a chargesheet on 16 October 2012.

Yeddyurappa addressed the media and said that he had faith in God and has been rewarded. He said that he had not committed any crime and has been relieved by the court’s decision.

He expected his party workers to be motivated by it.

I am happy that false allegations and politically-motivated charges have been dismissed.

BS Yeddyurappa

Yeddyurappa also tweeted about the verdict.

(With inputs from ANI and CNN News18)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj