Mon Sep 30 01:11:17 UTC 2024: ## Congress Demands Sitharaman’s Resignation After FIR Alleges Extortion Through Electoral Bonds Scheme

The Congress party on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following the registration of an FIR against her in Bengaluru for alleged involvement in extortion and criminal conspiracy through the now-scrapped electoral bond scheme.

The FIR, filed by a citizen’s group, also names unnamed Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers and BJP office-bearers. The complaint alleges that corporations like Sterlite and Vedanta were subjected to ED raids and subsequently forced to purchase electoral bonds worth Rs 230.15 crore.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, speaking at a press conference, described the FIR as “not ordinary” and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into the allegations. He accused the BJP of undermining democracy and called the electoral bond scheme an “extortion BJP scheme.”

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh highlighted four patterns of alleged corruption within the electoral bond scheme, including “prepaid bribe,” “postpaid bribe,” “extortion/post-raid bribe,” and “shell companies.” He also stressed that the Finance Minister should resign immediately on moral, political, and judicial grounds.

The Congress maintains that it has no connection to the FIR, which was filed independently by the citizen’s group. This development comes amidst growing controversy surrounding the electoral bonds scheme, which has been criticized for its lack of transparency and potential for misuse.

Read More