Karnataka HC Orders Interim Stay on FIR Filed Against Nirmala Sitharaman in Case Related to Alleged Extortion Through Electoral Bonds
On Monday, the Karnataka high court ordered an interim stay on the FIR filed against Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a case related to alleged extortion through electoral bonds.
Giving interim relief to Sitharaman, further investigation into the FIR registered against her has been stayed, ANI reported. The co-accused in the FIR is then Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel.
PTI reported that an FIR was registered against Sitharaman, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, and BJP office-bearers at state and national levels based on the order of a special court.
The FIR also names BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra and party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel.
The complaint was filed by Adarsh R Iyer, Co-President of ‘Janaadhikara Sangharsha Parasnath’ (JSP). It accuses the accused of having “committed extortion under the guise and garb of electoral bonds and benefitted to the tune of 8,000 and more crore of rupees.”
He further complained that ED officials’ clandestine aid and support had facilitated the Union finance minister’s extortion of thousands of crores of rupees for the benefit of others at state and national levels.
