Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru: In a significant legal development, a case has been registered against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, following a Bengaluru Special Court’s order, over allegations of extortion through the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme. The complaint was filed by Adarsh Iyer, a member of the Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane (JSP), accusing Ms Sitharaman and others of using the electoral bonds scheme as a front for an extortion racket.
Accusations in the Complaint
The complaint names not only Nirmala Sitharaman but also prominent BJP leaders, including BJP President JP Nadda, former Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, and the party’s current state chief BY Vijayendra. Filed at the Tilaknagar Police Station in Bengaluru, the FIR mentions these leaders alongside unnamed officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and other state BJP office bearers. The charges include extortion and criminal conspiracy.
According to the allegations, corporate entities were coerced into purchasing electoral bonds worth thousands of croresunder pressure from ED raids. These bonds were then purportedly cashed by BJP leaders at both the national and state levels, facilitating the accumulation of illicit funds for political gain.
BJP’s Defense
The BJP, however, has distanced itself from the allegations against Ms Sitharaman and other senior leaders. The party has dismissed the charges as politically motivated and argued that the electoral bonds scheme is a policy matter, not a criminal issue. The party also criticized Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is under scrutiny for the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment case.
BJP spokesperson Dr. Sudha Halkai said, “Mr Siddaramaiah is a habitual offender when it comes to cooperating with investigation agencies. There were 106 cases against Congress leaders, of which 64 were related to Mr Siddaramaiahwhen he was Chief Minister.”
Siddaramaiah’s Counterattack
Facing pressure due to an FIR filed against him over the MUDA case, Mr Siddaramaiah questioned why leaders like Nirmala Sitharaman and former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, who are also facing corruption probes, have not been asked to step down. He remarked that if he is expected to resign, the same standard should apply to Ms Sitharaman and other BJP leaders facing similar allegations.
The Lokayukta police have also registered an FIR against Mr Siddaramaiah, his wife, and other family members concerning the alleged illegal allotment of MUDA sites.
The case continues to stir political tension in Karnataka and the national political arena.
