Karnataka News: The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the FIR filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in connection with allegations of extortion through electoral bonds. The stay also halts further investigation into the case involving Nalin Kumar Kateel, the former Karnataka BJP president, who is named as a co-accused.The FIR was initially lodged following the order of a special court, with the complaint coming from Adarsh R. Iyer, Co-President of the Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP). Iyer alleged that Sitharaman and others, including BJP leaders at both state and national levels, participated in an extortion scheme disguised under the electoral bond system. The complaint claimed the group benefited to the tune of over ₹8,000 crore, with the help of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.Congress Party on the caseThe Congress party has responded to the allegations by demanding Sitharamans resignation and calling for a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the entire electoral bond scheme. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh stated that the party believes the extortion occurred in four ways: prepaid bribery, postpaid bribery, post-raid bribery, and through fake companies.On the other hand, BJP MP Jagdish Shettar criticized the FIR, accusing the ruling Congress in Karnataka of political motives. Shettar suggested the judiciary was already involved, and there were no complaints from an aggrieved party directly linked to the alleged extortion. The courts interim stay brings a temporary pause to the investigation, but the legal battle surrounding the electoral bond scheme is likely to continue, with high political stakes on both sides.
