FIR against Nirmala Sitharamana and JP Nadda in Extortion Money Case

An FIR (First Information Report) was lodged against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for ‘extorting money’ using electoral bonds on Friday. The development followed a plea filed by Adarsh Iyer of Janadhikar Sangharsh Parishad before a special court.

According to reports, the complaint also implicated fellow union minister JP Nadda and two top Karnataka BJP leaders, Naleen Kumar Kateel and BY Vijayendra. Party officials have already distanced themselves from the charges and offered vigorous support to Sitharaman. The ruling party claims that electoral bonds are a ‘policy matter’ and that the charges are politically motivated.

The complaint accuses Sitharaman and others of assisting in the collection of illicit funding for political purposes through the electoral bond system. Corporate entities were allegedly pushed into purchasing bonds worth thousands of crores through Enforcement Directorate raids as a ‘pressure strategy’. According to the complaint, BJP leaders at both the state and national levels cashed these electoral bonds.

The court has already directed the Tilak Nagar police station in Bengaluru to file an FIR for the crime of extortion using electoral bonds.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior BJP officials exchanged words in response to the development on Saturday. On Friday, the Lokayukta Police filed a FIR against the senior Congress leaders in connection with the alleged MUDA land allotment ‘scam’, prompting calls for his resignation.

“The Court of People’s Representatives has given an order to initiate an FIR against Union Minister Nirmala Sitharamana in relation to the electoral bond scandal. When will the leaders of the Karnataka BJP protest and march for her resignation? If there is an objective probe into this matter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to resign. Let Kumaraswamy, who is currently on bail, also resign,” the CM tweeted on X.