Fact check: No, BS Yediyurappa did not go to jail as CM [truth here]

After much speculation, BS Yediyurappa resigned as the chief minister of Karnataka as he delivered an emotional farewell at a function to mark the completion of two years in office. Yediyurappa submitted his resignation to Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on Monday after tweeting that it was an honour for him to have served the state for two years. Amidst all the big headlines, there are some reports highlighting Yediyurappa's past political journey and one claim in all that is rather misleading.

The claim

As talks about BSY's journey gain momentum, there are some reports stating he was the first sitting chief minister to go to jail. These reports are in reference to 2011, when Yediyurappa was arrested on the charges of using his office as Chief Minister to making land in and around Bengaluru available to his family at a phenomenal bargain. In July 2011, Yediyurappa was indicted in the Lokayukta report in illegal mining.

With BSY's resignation after assuming the office of the Chief Minister of Karnataka for two years, these older incidents are coming to light as a review of Yediyurappa's political journey. Many users on Twitter are claiming that he was the "first CM to go to jail."

Fact check

International Business Times reviewed the claims made on Twitter and in WhatsApp groups about Yediyurappa being the first CM to go to jail with reference to his arrest made in 2011. Simply by going over the timeline of BSY's arrest, it becomes clear that the claim is misleading.

When Yediyurappa was indicted in a report on illegal mining in July, he resigned as the state chief minister soon after. Yediyurappa was arrested on October 15, and released 25 days later. At the time of his arrest, BS Yediyurappa was not the CM, he was an ex-CM. Sadananda Gowda was the chief minister of Karnataka at the time.

Based on the timeline of events, IBTimes has arrived at the conclusion that the claims about Yediyurappa being the first CM to go to jail are false.