FIR Filed Against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Over Alleged Extortion Through Electoral Bonds.

In a significant legal development, a Bengaluru court has ordered the registration of an FIR against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others, following a complaint by Adarsh Iyer from the Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane. The complaint alleges extortion through electoral bonds, a scheme introduced in 2018 by the Centre to improve transparency in political funding.

The Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru directed the police to file the FIR, sparking a major political stir. This comes after the Supreme Court’s decision in February to scrap the electoral bond scheme, declaring it unconstitutional and stating it violated citizens’ right to information.

Reacting to the FIR, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanded Nirmala Sitharaman’s resignation, calling for the investigation to be completed within three months as per Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which provides protection for public servants from frivolous probes.

“An FIR has been filed against Nirmala Sitharaman, and she should tender her resignation,” Siddaramaiah said. He also extended his demands for resignations to JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for accountability in the electoral bond extortion case.

The case is expected to gain national attention as the investigation progresses, with political figures from various parties weighing in on the implications of the FIR.

Further updates on the case and the findings of the investigation are awaited.