HC stays probe against Sitharaman in electoral bond case till Oct 22
This story was originally published at 21:22 IST on 30 September 2024
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NEW DELHI – The Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed investigation into a case registered against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others alleging extortion of money under the electoral bond scheme till Oct. 22, the next date of hearing in the case. The high court passed an interim order on a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, a co-accused in the case, challenging the first information report, or FIR, in the case.
"Permitting investigation even prima facie, till the statement of objection is filed by the respondent will be abuse of process of law. In that light, I deem it appropriate to interdict further investigation in the matter till next date of hearing," a single judge bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna ordered.
On Saturday, the Bengaluru Police had registered a case against Sitharaman and BJP President and Cabinet Minister J.P. Nadda, among others, on a complaint filed by activist Adarsh R. Iyer, alleging that BJP leaders in connivance with some officials of the Directorate of Enforcement, extorted private firms and made illegal gains under the electoral bonds scheme.
The case was registered following an order from the 42nd additional chief metropolitan magistrate court. The complainant alleged that corporate entities were coerced into purchasing electoral bonds, which were then encashed by BJP leaders for political purposes. Over INR 80 billion was illegally collected through electoral bonds, it is being alleged.
In February, the Supreme Court had declared the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional and also directed 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 Akul Nishant Akhoury
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