BJP state president and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and three others were acquitted in the Bellary illegal mining case by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday,

Yeddyurappa was  accused of accepting a bribe of around Rs 40 crore in his official capacity. The former chief minister, two sons BY Raghavendra and BY Vijayendra, and also RN Sohan Kumar, son-in-law of the former chief minister along with JSW Steel and their four Bellary-based affiliates were accused of bribery, forgery and cheating. The court acquitted all the accused.

Reacting after the verdict, Yeddyurappa told that he has been vindicated and the charges leveled against him were politically motivated. “Today’s order comes as a relief. I am happy. The politically motivated charges against me have been quashed,” Yeddyurappa said adding that he hopes other cases against him will also soon be quashed. There are about six cases against him, this being the most significant of them all.
“Justice is done, I stand vindicated… Thanks to all well wishers,friends & supporters who stood with me in my tough times,” Yeddyurappa said on Twitter.

‘Satyameva Jayate’, he then added.

Justice is done, I stand vindicated… Thanks to all well wishers,friends & supporters who stood with me in my tough times…

— B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) October 26, 2016

Yeddyurappa has always maintained that the bribe allegation was false and the amount paid was a voluntary donation to his family trust.

They were charged under IPC sections, including 120-B (conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) as also under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Karnataka Land (Restriction on) Transfer Act.

This can be seen as an important victory for the BJP and its state president ahead of the 2018 Karnataka state elections, as Yeddyurappa is largely seen as the face of the party in the state. The case cost the former chief minister his job in 2011 after the Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicted him, following which a spate of corruption and land denotification cases were filed against him.