YEDDYURAPPA 2 LAST

\ The charge sheet had alleged involvement of Rs 40 crore The charge sheet had alleged involvement of Rs 40 crore\kickbacks, including Rs 20 crore that was allegedly paid to\Prerana for granting favours, including mining licences,\during Yeddyurappa\\’s chief ministership from 2008 to 2011.\ In his order, the judge said the prosecution has failed to\prove the abuse of official position by Yeddyurappa to show\favour to JSW Steel Limited represented by (then) Company\General Manager Mani C Manuel, either in fixing of premium on\iron ore fines, suppression of loss suffered by MML or in the\matter of imposition of ban on export of iron ore.\ He also held the prosecution failed to prove that South\West Mining Limited\\’s representative Rajiv Bansal had\purchased land in Rachenahalli at inflated price to cover up\the receipt of bribe.\ The prosecution also failed to prove that the donation\given by accused including South West Mining to Prerana\Educational and Social Trust represented by its Managing\Trustee Raghavendra was a bribe in disguise, the judge held.\ The court set aside the charge against Yeddyurappa that he\had abused his official position as a public servant in the\matter of fixing of premium on iron ore at 50 per cent instead\of 60 per cent and imposing ban on export of iron ore.\ \\"I have already held that absolutely there is no iota of \evidence to prove that Yeddyurappa has abused his official\position as a public servant in the said matters and also in \the matter of denotifying Rachenahalli land.\\"\ \\"Therefore, the question of Yeddyurappa cheating the\government of Karnataka with an intention to cause wrongful\loss to the State and to make a wrongful gain to his kin doesot arise at all,\\" the judge said.\ On the other hand, the judge said there is ample evidence\on record to show that after fixing the premium of iron ore\fines at 50 per cent, the MML has started making huge profit\compared to previous years.\ \\"The government of Karnataka cannot be said to have\sustained any wrongful loss on account of denotification of\Rachenahalli village land, since the denotification of the\said land is found to be valid,\\" he observed.\ He also said there was absolutely no iota of evidence on\record to prove that South West Mining Limited and JSW steel\representatives had induced Yeddyurappa\\’s kin and Prerana\Educational and Social Trust to exercise their personal\influence over Yeddyurappa to do an official favour to JSW\Steel represented by Mani Manuel.\ There also absolutely no evidence on record to prove that\other accused including SWML and JSW Steel representatives\had abetted Yeddyurappa for abuse of his official position in\exercise of his official functions to show favour to JSW\Steel representative Mani Manuel, the judge said. PTI BDN RA\RC\ZMN\