CBI court acquits Yeddyurappa, sons in mining bribery case : The Tribune India

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CBI court acquits Yeddyurappa, sons in mining bribery case

BENGALURU: In a huge relief to senior BJP leader and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, a special CBI court here on Wednesday acquitted him along with his two sons and son-in-law in a Rs 40-crore kickbacks case related to illegal mining. The case had cost Yeddyurappa his chief ministership in 2011.

CBI court acquits Yeddyurappa, sons in mining bribery case

Says he stands vindicated. ANI



Bengaluru, October 26

In a huge relief to senior BJP leader and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, a special CBI court here on Wednesday acquitted him along with his two sons and son-in-law in a Rs 40-crore kickbacks case related to illegal mining.

In a judgment delivered at a packed court hall, Judge RB Dharmagouder also exonerated nine other accused in the kickbacks case which had cost Yeddyurappa his chief ministership in 2011 following indictment by the then Lok Ayukta Santosh Hegde.

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CBI had filed a chargesheet in October 2015 against Yeddyurappa, his sons BY Raghavendra and BY Vijayendra and son-in-law Sohan Kumar, a Bellary-based private steel company and a Shimoga-based Trust run by the family of Yeddyurappa for alleged abuse of official position and corruption.

The case also saw Yeddyurappa spend about three weeks in jail in October 2011 in connection with the case before he was granted bail.

The accused had been charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption, according to the CBI chargesheet which had alleged involvement of Rs 40 crore kickbacks, including Rs 20 crore that was allegedly paid to a trust run by Yeddyurappa’s family, for granting favours, including mining licences, during his chief ministership.

“Satyameva Jayathe. Justice is done. I stand vindicated,” a relieved Yeddyurappa tweeted shortly after the verdict.

“I am happy that false allegations and politically motivated charges have been dismissed,” the state BJP strongman, who has returned as the state BJP chief earlier this year, told reporters.

He said the court verdict had come as a relief to lakhs of BJP workers and gave a “new fillip” to him to bring back the party to power in the next Assembly polls in Karnataka.

'Shocking'

The Congress on Wednesday dubbed the acquittal "shocking".

"We are stunned, surprised and shocked that serious allegations, for which mounting evidence was provided to the CBI, have been completely overlooked. This is clear case of political influence," Congress leader Sanjay Jha said.

"The CBI under (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi government has become a convenient bureau of investigation, the way in which NIA (National Investigation Agency) has become Namo investigation agency," Jha said.

Attacking the BJP-led central government, the Congress leader said: "Currently, the institutions meant to investigate and furnish evidence are failing miserably in their task. It is evident that these are all under political influence."  Jha said Yeddyurappa would face the real test in public court, which will manifest itself in elections.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari wondered what the court could do when the prosecution had allegedly turned into defence in the case.

"In case of Yeddyuruppa, the prosecution became the defence; they ever vigorously pursued their (defence) case. There is a complete and absolute subversion of the instrumentalities of the Indian State. If there is, or was or continues to be, any open-and-shut case of corruption and misconduct, it is Yeddyuruppa's case," said Tewari.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailed the court verdict.

BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said: "We are happy that the court has acquitted him of all allegations. He had said earlier that the case against him was politically motivated”. — Agencies


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