Sat Sep 28 23:19:13 UTC 2024: ## Bengaluru Police File FIR Against Sitharaman, ED Officials Over Electoral Bond Scheme
**Bengaluru, India:** The Bengaluru police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, unnamed Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, and BJP leaders at the state and national level, alleging their involvement in extortion and criminal conspiracy through the now-scrapped electoral bond scheme.
The FIR, filed on the direction of a special court, was based on a complaint by Adarsh R Iyer, co-president of ‘Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath’. The complaint accuses the accused of using the ED to pressure corporates like Sterlite and Vedanta into purchasing electoral bonds worth ₹230.15 crore between 2019 and 2023. This, according to Iyer, was done to ward off ED probes against the firms.
The complaint cites the Supreme Court’s observations against electoral bonds, highlighting concerns about transparency and potential misuse.
The FIR, which charges the accused under IPC sections 384 (extortion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), has sparked political controversy. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, facing his own allegations, called for Sitharaman’s resignation, while JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy questioned the need for her resignation, highlighting the absence of direct personal gain.
The case is likely to further intensify the political debate around the electoral bond scheme, with opposition parties demanding greater transparency and accountability.
First Piper 