The Karnataka Police has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and several others on Saturday for allegedly committing irregularities and extorting money, linked to the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme.

According to PTI, an FIR has been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code – Extortion 9384), Criminal Conspiracy (120B), and acts done with common intention (34).

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The filing of FIR comes after the Bengaluru court directed Tilak Nagar Police to lodge a complaint against the Union Finance Minister based on her involvement in the alleged extortion of money related to the electoral bonds.

FIR Against Key Political Figures

BJP leader Nalin Kumar Kateel has also been named in the FIR. He remained the party’s Karnataka chief from 2019 to 2023. Those on the list include Karnataka President B. Y. Vijayendra and authorities from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

What Are The Allegations?

Co-President of Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane Adarsh Iyer had filed a private complaint against the Finance Minister and others on charges of misuse of electoral bonds.

Iyer alleged that Sitharaman and the officials in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have misused their position to make extortion over electoral bonds worth over Rs 8,000 crore. He asserted that this was done in collusion with party leaders including Kateel, Vijayendra, and others.

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