Karnataka HC stays investigation against Nirmala Sitharaman, others over electoral bonds extortion allegation
The Hindu
High Court of Karnataka stays investigation into FIR against Nirmala Sitharaman for alleged electoral bond scheme extortion.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday (September 30, 2024) stayed the investigation into the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others for allegedly “extorting” thousands of crores of rupees from companies by misusing the electoral bond scheme and using the agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the interim order on a petition filed by Nalin Kumar Kateel, former president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit, who has been arraigned as accused number 4 in the FIR.
The Bengaluru city had filed FIR on September 28 based a direction given by a magistrate court, which had acted on a private complaint filed Adarsh R. Iyer, co-president of Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP).
The FIR was registered under sections 384 (punishment for extortion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with 34 (acts done with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
While Ms. Sitharaman was arraigned as accused number one, officials of the ED have been named as accused number 2, and office bearers of BJP’s nation unit as accused muber 3.
According to the complaint, Ms. Sitharaman and ED officials committed extortion under the pretext of electoral bonds and benefited to the tune of over ₹8,000 crore. It was also alleged in the complaint that the “extortion” was committed in connivance with BJP leaders and office-bearers of the party at the State and national level.
Mr. Iyer, in his complaint alleged that the “extortion” was committed in connivance with BJP leaders and office-bearers of the party at the State and national level and the modus operandi was that ED was used to conduct raids, seizures, and arrest to compel top representatives of private companies to purchase electoral bond in favour of the BJP.
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