Karnataka HC stays probe against Nirmala Sitharaman in electoral bonds case: Report

The Karnataka high court on Monday ordered an interim stay on the FIR filed against Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a case related to alleged extortion through electoral bonds.

According to an ANI report, a stay has been put on further investigation in the FIR registered against then Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, who is co-accused.

According to a PTI report, an FIR was registered against Sitharaman, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, office-bearers of the BJP at state and national level, based on the order of a special court.

BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra, party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel have also been named in the FIR.

The complaint was lodged by Adarsh R Iyer, Co-President of 'Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath' (JSP) alleging that the accused "committed extortion under the guise and garb of electoral bonds and benefitted to the tune of 8,000 and more crore of rupees."

The complainant further alleged that the Union finance minister through the clandestine aid and support of ED officials facilitated extortion of thousands of crores of rupees for the benefit of others both at the state and national levels.

The entire extortion racket under the garb of electoral bonds has been orchestrated hand in glove with officials of BJP at various levels."

Cong demanded Sitharaman's resignation

The Congress demanded finance minister Sitharaman's resignation, and reiterated its demand for a Supreme-court monitored inquiry through an SIT into the whole electoral bond scheme.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had said," Four ways were used to extort money through the “conspiracy of electoral bonds - prepaid bribery, postpaid bribery, post-raid bribery and through farzi companies.”

BJP MP Jagdish Shettar blamed the ruling Congress in Karnataka for the FIR against the Union minister. “The FIR has already been filed as per the direction of the judiciary. Before filing the FIR, the concerned police officers have to examine whether the prima facie case is there or not...He (the complainant) alleged so many things in the complaint...There is no complaint filed by the aggrieved party,” Shettar told ANI.