FIR against finance minister Sitharaman over poll bonds 'extortion', Congress seeks ouster

BENGALURU/MYSURU: Karnataka Police Saturday filed an FIR against Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP president J P Nadda and members of the saffron party's state unit following allegations of 'extorting money' through the now scrapped electoral bonds scheme.

The action follows a directive from the 42nd additional chief metropolitan magistrate court (dealing exclusively with criminal cases related to elected representatives) after a complaint was filed by one Adarsh R Iyer, who is co-president of Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath.

BJP dismissed the FIR, stating it was being orchestrated by the Congress govt to divert attention from the Muda scam involving Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. However, Siddaramaiah sought to turn the tables on BJP by demanding the FM's resignation.

Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra and former state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel along with ED have been made co-accused in the FIR.

The complaint alleges corporate entities were coerced into purchasing electoral bonds (EBs), which were then encashed by BJP netas for political purposes. It claims over Rs 8,000 crore was illegally collected through EBs. The police have charged Nirmala, Nadda and others under IPC sections 384 (extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (acts done by multiple individuals with common intent).

The complaint accuses Nirmala, ED and BJP members of misusing their authority by conducting raids, seizures and arrests targeting corporate entities, ultimately resulting in coerced purchases of EBs. The FIR alleges aluminium and copper companies of Sterlite and Vedanta groups were forced to buy EBs worth Rs 230 crore between April 2019 and Nov 2023. This apart, raids on Aurobindo Pharma Group led to purchase of EBs totalling Rs 49.5 crore between July 2022 and Nov 2023, the FIR alleges.

The complainant also alleged the accused plotted the arrest of then CM Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi liquor scam on claims made by a Aurobindo Pharma director, who turned approver and implicated him.

Reacting to the FIR, Siddaramaiah said: "When will they start protesting against Sitharaman and demand her resignation over this alleged scam? If there is an impartial investigation into this case, PM Narendra Modi will also have to resign. Let (Union minister) H D Kumaraswamy, who is on bail, also resign."

Kumaraswamy retorted, "The CM asking for my and Nirmala Sitharaman's resignation? Yes, the court asked for an FIR, but did the electoral bond money go to her personal account like it was in his case? Why should she resign and why should I resign?"