Bengaluru, September 28 — In a significant development, a Bengaluru court has directed the Tilak Nagar Police to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following serious allegations of her involvement in extorting money through the controversial electoral bond scheme. The ruling comes after a petition from Adarsh Iyer, a member of the Janadhikar Sangharsh Parishad (JSP), sought action against Sitharaman and other leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The petitioner claims that corporate entities were pressured into purchasing electoral bonds totaling thousands of crores. Allegations suggest that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids as a means of coercion, compelling companies to contribute to the electoral bond scheme. It is alleged that these bonds were subsequently cashed by BJP officials, including Sitharaman, at various levels of including Sitharamanyer stated that he had previously submitted a detailed report to the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Tilak Nagar police station on March 30, but he noted that no action had been taken in response to his complaint.
The lack of response from Bengaluru South East’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) has also raised concerns about the handling of the case. Reacting to the court's ruling, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for the resignation of Nirmala Sitharaman, criticizing the BJP for its silence on the allegations of impropriety surrounding the electoral bond scheme. “This is a serious matter that demands How can a minister involved in such a scam continue to hold office?” he stated.
The electoral bond scheme, introduced in the Parliament as part of the 2017 Union Budget by former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, allows individuals, corporations, and organizations to contribute anonymously to political parties through bonds purchased from the State Bank of India (SBI). However, if the donated funds are not encashed within 15 days, they are automatically redirected to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. Major General Anil Verma (retired), head of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and one of the petitioners in the case, criticized the scheme, arguing that it facilitates lobbying and corruption.
We are left in the dark about who is donating—be it major corporations or individuals channeling illicit funds through shell companies. This situation has led to what many are now calling legalized and institutionalized corruption,” Verma stated in an interview with Al Jazeera. As the investigation unfolds, the political ramifications of this ruling may have lasting effects on the BJP and its leadership, particularly amidst ongoing discussions regarding electoral transparency and accountability in India’s political funding.
