India, Aug. 25 -- A local court in Goa on Monday acquitted the state's minister of transport and panchayats, Mauvin Godinho, in a corruption case filed 27 years ago.

Godinho, who was minister for power in the Congress government in 1998, announced a scheme to allow industrial units to claim 25% of their power costs as rebate. A total of Rs.4.3 crore was returned to industries under the scheme. However, then leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar alleged a scam, pointing out that the scheme was notified without due approval from the state cabinet, causing loss to the state exchequer to the tune of Rs.4.5 crore.

On Monday, principal district and sessions judge Irshad Aga, acquitted Godinho and then chief engineer of the power department, T...