Bengaluru: In a big relief to former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, a special CBI court on Wednesday acquitted him and all others accused of accepting Rs 40 crore in kickbacks from mining companies through the Prerana Trust, managed by his family members, when he was CM.
"Satyameva Jayate. Justice is done. I stand vindicated," Yeddyurappa tweeted soon after CBI special court judge R B Dharmagoudar acquitted him, his sons BY Raghavend ra and BY Vijayendra, son-in-law RN Sohan and others.
The judge observed that the prosecution (CBI) failed to prove that accused No. 1 (Yeddyurappa) abused his official position or the others abetted his crime. It also acquitted former minister Ess En Krishnaiah Setty and senior officers of JSW Steel and South West Mining Ltd, its sister concern.
The CBI had registered a FIR against them four years ago after the Supreme Court, in May 2012, directed it to probe charges that undue favours were granted to firms involved in illegal mining of iron ore in lieu of donations to the Prerana Educational and Social Trust. The cases were registered under Sections 120-B (conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, and Sections 7, 11, 13(1)(d) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The CBI had contended that Yeddyurappa helped his sons and son-in-law to purchase an acre of land that had been acquired by the BDA for Arkavathy Layout.He allegedly denotified the same without informing the denotification committee.
Another allegation was that then chief minister helped JSW Steel by banning export of iron ore. This enabled the steel company to procure ore at a cheaper rate. In lieu of this, South West, a JSW sister concern, bought 1 acre and 12 guntas of land in Rachenahalli at an inflated price of Rs 20 crore, making Yeddyurappa's sons and son-in-law richer by Rs 15 crore.
Another charge was that Yeddyurappa helped JSW by delaying the decision on fixing premium on iron ore. JSW had a joint venture with state-owned Mysore Minerals Ltd to extract iron ore. For this favour, Prerana Trust allegedly received Rs 20 crore from JSW; Rs 6 crore of this amount was later transferred to Swami Vivekananda Trust, which has Yeddyurappa was a trustee. During the trial, Yeddyurappa was asked 473 questions. He maintained the complaints against him were politically motivated.
With this, the BJP state unit president has now only one set of complaints relating to denotification of land acquired for the BDA in favour of land owners. The case is before the Lokayukta court. These complaints were filed by Sirajin Basha, a Shivamogga based lawyer recently.
Victory for Lingayat strongman
The acquittal is a personal victory for Yeddyurappa, who has set his eyes on bringing the BJP back to power in the 2018 assembly elections. In 2014-15, the BJP leadership had told him, "Come clean of court charges and you will be given a position''.
He was asked to step down in 2011 after Lokayukta Santosh Hegde indicted him for colluding in illegal iron-ore mining in the mineral-rich district of Ballari. In October the same year, he was convicted in a land denotification case and spent 25 days in jail. The acquittal is a major relief for the ongman, who after taking over as the state strongman, who after taking over as the state unit chief in April, has not been able to revive the party. His one-time confidant and opposition leader in the legislative council, KS Eshwarappa, has floated the Sangoli Rayanna Brigade, ignoring his advice. The trio of Union minister HN Ananth Kumar, former CM Jagadish Shettar and MP Pralhad Joshi continues to cold-shoulder him.
BSY unchained now: BJP
"The acquittal has put everyone, including people within the party, in their place," said BJP spokesperson and Yeddyurappa supporter G Madhusudhan. According to him, Yeddyurappa is now "unchained" and can exert his influence in the run-up to the 2018 assembly elections. Another supporter said Yeddyurappa, who had been cautious all these days, "can be aggressive''.
There were celebrations at the party office in Bengaluru. The BJP is planning to make its November 27 rally at the Bangalore Palace grounds a mega event. Party president Amit Shah expected to attend it.
KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said: "Though cases were pending against him, the BJP appointed Yeddyurappa its state president and projected him as a CM candidate. Why would they take such a huge risk without considering the pending cases against him? It was obvious that political pressure would mount on the CBI, and this verdict would come." The Congress will carefully watch the next move of the CBI.
I've been vindicated: BSY
"Satyameva Jayate. Justice is done. I stand vindicated," Yeddyurappa tweeted soon after CBI special court judge R B Dharmagoudar acquitted him, his sons BY Raghavend ra and BY Vijayendra, son-in-law RN Sohan and others.
The judge observed that the prosecution (CBI) failed to prove that accused No. 1 (Yeddyurappa) abused his official position or the others abetted his crime. It also acquitted former minister Ess En Krishnaiah Setty and senior officers of JSW Steel and South West Mining Ltd, its sister concern.
The CBI had registered a FIR against them four years ago after the Supreme Court, in May 2012, directed it to probe charges that undue favours were granted to firms involved in illegal mining of iron ore in lieu of donations to the Prerana Educational and Social Trust. The cases were registered under Sections 120-B (conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, and Sections 7, 11, 13(1)(d) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The CBI had contended that Yeddyurappa helped his sons and son-in-law to purchase an acre of land that had been acquired by the BDA for Arkavathy Layout.He allegedly denotified the same without informing the denotification committee.
Another allegation was that then chief minister helped JSW Steel by banning export of iron ore. This enabled the steel company to procure ore at a cheaper rate. In lieu of this, South West, a JSW sister concern, bought 1 acre and 12 guntas of land in Rachenahalli at an inflated price of Rs 20 crore, making Yeddyurappa's sons and son-in-law richer by Rs 15 crore.
Another charge was that Yeddyurappa helped JSW by delaying the decision on fixing premium on iron ore. JSW had a joint venture with state-owned Mysore Minerals Ltd to extract iron ore. For this favour, Prerana Trust allegedly received Rs 20 crore from JSW; Rs 6 crore of this amount was later transferred to Swami Vivekananda Trust, which has Yeddyurappa was a trustee. During the trial, Yeddyurappa was asked 473 questions. He maintained the complaints against him were politically motivated.
With this, the BJP state unit president has now only one set of complaints relating to denotification of land acquired for the BDA in favour of land owners. The case is before the Lokayukta court. These complaints were filed by Sirajin Basha, a Shivamogga based lawyer recently.
Victory for Lingayat strongman
The acquittal is a personal victory for Yeddyurappa, who has set his eyes on bringing the BJP back to power in the 2018 assembly elections. In 2014-15, the BJP leadership had told him, "Come clean of court charges and you will be given a position''.
He was asked to step down in 2011 after Lokayukta Santosh Hegde indicted him for colluding in illegal iron-ore mining in the mineral-rich district of Ballari. In October the same year, he was convicted in a land denotification case and spent 25 days in jail. The acquittal is a major relief for the ongman, who after taking over as the state strongman, who after taking over as the state unit chief in April, has not been able to revive the party. His one-time confidant and opposition leader in the legislative council, KS Eshwarappa, has floated the Sangoli Rayanna Brigade, ignoring his advice. The trio of Union minister HN Ananth Kumar, former CM Jagadish Shettar and MP Pralhad Joshi continues to cold-shoulder him.
BSY unchained now: BJP
"The acquittal has put everyone, including people within the party, in their place," said BJP spokesperson and Yeddyurappa supporter G Madhusudhan. According to him, Yeddyurappa is now "unchained" and can exert his influence in the run-up to the 2018 assembly elections. Another supporter said Yeddyurappa, who had been cautious all these days, "can be aggressive''.
There were celebrations at the party office in Bengaluru. The BJP is planning to make its November 27 rally at the Bangalore Palace grounds a mega event. Party president Amit Shah expected to attend it.
KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said: "Though cases were pending against him, the BJP appointed Yeddyurappa its state president and projected him as a CM candidate. Why would they take such a huge risk without considering the pending cases against him? It was obvious that political pressure would mount on the CBI, and this verdict would come." The Congress will carefully watch the next move of the CBI.
I've been vindicated: BSY