Popular Kannada superstar Rajkumar was kidnapped by the slained forest brigand Veerappan way back in July 2000. He was held hostage for 108 days before the legendary dacoit let him off and others.

On Tuesday, a court in Erode district's Gobichettipalayam has acquitted nine people accused in the case. Veerappan was one of the accused. He was killed in an encounter in 2004.

"The charges against the accused have not been proved adequately by the prosecution. The judge said the deposition of witnesses also did not corroborate the prosecution case fully. As many as 47 witnesses were examined in the sensational case," a PTI report says.

Veerappan had kidnapped the Sandalwood star by directly barging into his farmhouse when he as spending time with family. It was a sensational happening that strained the relations between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.