A lawsuit has been filed against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others by a Bengaluru Special Court for allegedly extorting money through the discontinued electoral bonds program. Petitioner Adarsh Iyer filed the complaint, alleging that Nirmala Sitharaman and others were running an extortion scheme disguised as electoral bonds.
After being directed by a special court in Bengaluru, the local police filed an FIR against Nirmala Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka.
Adarsh Iyer from Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane (JSS) has accused Sitharaman and her department of organizing extortion via electoral bonds. After examining the case, the Special Court for People’s Representatives instructed the Tilak Nagar police station to file an FIR.
We believe that Nirmala Sitharaman, who is the finance minister, is using her position to favor her party, which is currently in power at the national level.
He labeled the electoral bond scheme as a fraud that affected the whole nation, highlighting that their grievances and proof point to blatant extortion and corruption by the union minister and her BJP allies in Karnataka as well.
Iyer also stated that the information uploaded by the State Bank of India (SBI) clearly demonstrates the method in which the extortion occurred. “We have lodged 15 to 16 grievances at different police stations, but currently we are focusing on just one-the one where the court has ordere an FIR to be registered at Tilak Nagar Police Station against Nirmala Sitharaman,” Iyer.
In February 2024, the electoral bonds were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The plan reportedly allowed political parties to get substantial amounts of money without revealing who the donors were, leading to worries about corporate power in politics.
The accusation was filed by JSP in April 2024 at the 42nd ACMM Court in Bengaluru and listed numerous well-known politicians and officials, including Sitharaman. One of the individuals mentioned include JP Nadda, the national leader of BJP, as well as Nalin Kumar Kateel, the former leader of BJP in Karnataka, BY Vijayendra, and delegates from the ED. The accusation claims that they worked together to obtain money through electoral bonds by using the raids they conducted.
Union minister HD Kumaraswamy defended his colleague Nirmala Sitharaman against Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah’s call for her resignation. Demands for resignation have been directed towards the CM following a trial court ruling for charges to be filed regarding the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, also known as MUDA, land scandal. If the electoral bond funds did not end up in her personal account, why should she step down? Kumaraswamy said that requesting an FIR does not automatically imply guilt.