Electoral bonds | Congress demands Supreme Court monitored probe into donations received by BJP for elections from companies raided by I-T and ED

Data the electoral bonds was released by the State Bank of India and published by the Election Commission of India on March 14 following an order by the Supreme Court. 

Claiming that many companies which received Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate notices donated funds to the ruling BJP under the Centre’s electoral bond scheme, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a Supreme Court monitored special investigation into funds received by the BJP.

Mr Kharge wants an investigation into alleged links between donation of funds by companies that were either raided by I-T and ED officials, or received notices from central agencies, and funds received by the BJP.

On March 15, he told mediapersons in Bengaluru that a Supreme Court monitored investigation is needed since the apex court has unanimously struck down the Centre’s electoral bond scheme.

The BJP encashed electoral bonds amounting to ₹6,065.5 crore – the highest among all political parties since the inception of the electoral bond scheme.

The AICC chief also demanded freezing all accounts of the BJP till completion of the investigation into the money received by the party under the electoral bond scheme. He pointed out that Central agencies have frozen an account having ₹300 crore of the Congress party in connection with a case related dating back to 2017.

Claiming the lack of a level playing field while contesting elections, he alleged that companies that were raided by Central probe agencies had donated funds to the BJP. He accused Central agencies of harassing and forcing firms to donate funds to the BJP.

“While the Congress secured 11% of the donations, the BJP secured more than 50% of the donations under the bond scheme. How can there be so much difference?”