Bengaluru: In a significant development, the People’s Representative Court of Bengaluru has ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The allegations stem from claims made by the Janadhikar Sangharsh Parishad (JSP), accusing the Finance Minister of financial misconduct through the misuse of electoral bonds.
JSP co-chairman Adarsh Iyer filed a petition in April 2023 at the 42nd ACMM Court, alleging that Finance Minister Sitharaman extorted funds by leveraging electoral bonds. According to Iyer, the scheme was manipulated to intimidate and coerce financial contributions, undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
Responding to the petition, the People’s Representative Court of Bengaluru has directed the Tilak Nagar Police Station to register an FIR against Sitharaman. Although the hearing of the case has been adjourned until 10 October 2024, the proceedings are expected to gain traction ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in several states, potentially impacting the Finance Minister’s political standing.
The electoral bond scheme, introduced in 2018, has been a subject of intense debate and legal scrutiny. In 2023, the Supreme Court of India declared the scheme unconstitutional after hearing arguments from four petitioners, including those from JSP. The court’s decision imposed a complete ban on the issuance of electoral bonds, citing concerns over transparency and potential misuse.
The FIR against Sitharaman not only targets high-ranking officials but also implicates BJP national president JP Nadda, former Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, and BY Vijayendra. Additionally, allegations have been made against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, suggesting a broader network of corruption and influence-peddling within the political and administrative framework.
With the next hearing scheduled for early October, the case is poised to become a focal point in the political discourse leading up to the assembly elections. The outcome may have far-reaching implications for the ruling party and could influence voter sentiment in key states.
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