Bengaluru: A special court in Bengaluru has ordered the registration of an FIR against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over extortion allegations in the now-defunct Electoral Bond Scheme. The complaint was filed by Adarsh Iyer of Janaadhikara Sangharsha Samithi (JSP), accusing Sitharaman and others of running an extortion racket under the guise of the electoral bond scheme. The complaint, lodged in Bengaluru, names not only Sitharaman but also BJP President JP Nadda, Karnataka BJP leaders Nalin Kumar Kateel, and BY Vijayendra. It alleges that corporate entities were coerced into purchasing electoral bonds worth thousands of crores. The complaint claims that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids to pressure these corporations, and the funds from the bonds were allegedly used by BJP leaders at both national and state levels. The complaint further claims that the Electoral Bond Scheme helped accumulate illegal funds for political purposes, involving Sitharaman and other senior BJP leaders.

BJP's Response: A Policy Issue, Not a Criminal Case

In response, the BJP denied the allegations and defended Sitharaman, stating that the claims were politically motivated. The party argued that the issue surrounding electoral bonds is a matter of policy, not a criminal case. BJP also attacked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the ongoing Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case.

Siddaramaiah Questions Lack of Demands for Resignation

Siddaramaiah, who is facing pressure over the MUDA land allocation case and an FIR filed against him, questioned why senior leaders like Sitharaman and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who are also under investigation for corruption, have not been asked to resign. He argued that the same standard applied to him should apply to them as well. An FIR has been filed by the Lokayukta Police against Siddaramaiah, his wife, and other family members over the alleged illegal allocation of MUDA sites.

The BJP has defended Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman amidst the allegations.