The Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered an interim stay on the FIR filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman regarding alleged extortion through electoral bonds.
According to the sources, the stay also halts further investigation into the FIR registered against BJP’s then-state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, a co-accused.
A special court had ordered the FIR’s registration against Sitharaman, ED officials, and state and national-level BJP office-bearers, including Karnataka BJP Chief B Y Vijayendra and party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel. Adarsh R Iyer, Co-President of Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath, lodged the complaint, alleging extortion through electoral bonds, benefiting the accused to the tune of ₹8,000 crore.
Iyer claimed Sitharaman, with ED officials’ clandestine aid, facilitated thousands of crores of rupees’ extortion for others’ benefit at state and national levels. The complaint alleged a well-orchestrated racket involving BJP officials.
The Congress demanded Sitharaman’s resignation and reiterated its call for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry through a Special Investigation Team into the electoral bond scheme. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh stated, “Four methods were used to extort money through electoral bonds: prepaid bribery, postpaid bribery, post-raid bribery, and through fake companies.”
BJP MP Jagdish Shettar blamed Karnataka’s ruling Congress for the FIR, saying, “The FIR was filed as per judicial direction. Police officers must examine if there’s a prima facie case… The complainant made various allegations, but there’s no complaint from the aggrieved party.”
