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Informist, Sunday, Sep 29, 2024

NEW DELHI – The Congress party today sought the resignation of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following a case registered against her in Bengaluru on the charges of extortion through electoral bonds. According to reports, the police have booked Sitharaman, Bharatiya Janata Party President J.P. Nadda and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

 

At a press conference, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Sitharaman should resign immediately on moral grounds. The party also sought an independent probe into the case by a Special Investigation Team constituted by the Supreme Court.

A first information report, or FIR, has been registered under sections 384 (extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (acts done by multiple individuals with common intent).

 

Jairam Ramesh said five out of the six years that the electoral bond scheme was under implementation, Sitharaman was the finance minister. "The office of finance minister is a continuing entity and the control over Directorate of Enforcement and the Income Tax department, the control over the State Bank of India in some ways is all the responsibility of the finance minister of the day," Ramesh said.

 

Citing the FIR, Singhvi said that chief executives of companies were forced to buy electoral bonds worth billions. "The total amount is 80 bln rupees. It is well known that it is not in jurisdiction, will of the finance minister to do it alone. We know who is instructing. When electoral bonds came, a Reserve Bank of India governor level officer said and wrote letters saying that it can lead to money laundering. He had to resign," Singhvi said. 

 

He further said that the main issue here was level-playing field. "It is important for unbiased and independent election. It is important for a democracy. It (electoral bond scheme) is an attack to it," Singhvi said, adding that it was an extortionist scheme by the BJP. The Congress leader expressed the hope that the accused in the case will be summoned and their statements recorded. This will be followed by arrest, he said.

 

The case was registered following an order from the 42nd additional chief metropolitan magistrate court on a complaint alleging that corporate entities were coerced into purchasing electoral bonds, which were then encashed by BJP leaders for political purposes. Over 80 bln rupees were illegally collected through electoral bonds, it is being alleged.

 

In February, the Supreme Court had declared the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional and also directed the State Bank of India to make public the details of individuals and companies that bought electoral bonds and the political parties that encashed these bonds. The scheme provided blanket anonymity to political donors. A five-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud had held that the scheme violated the voters' right to information about political funding under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.  End

 

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

 

 

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