The Karnataka High Court has issued a stay on the investigation related to a first information report (FIR) filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Health Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda, and others. The FIR alleged that they extorted money through the now-scrapped electoral bond scheme for political funding.
A bench led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna made this decision on Monday in response to a petition filed by BJP member Nalin Kumar Kateel, who is among those accused. Kateel challenged the criminal complaint, arguing that allowing further proceedings before filing objections would constitute an abuse of the legal process. The court agreed, stating that further proceedings would be stayed until the next hearing.
The FIR was registered on Saturday in Bengaluru following a court order that came just a day prior. The complaint accuses the ministers and several officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of engaging in extortion and criminal conspiracy. It claims that the accused benefited to the tune of ₹8,000 crore under the guise of the electoral bond scheme.
The registration of this case has sparked a political uproar. The Congress party has called for Sitharaman’s resignation, alleging that she is undermining democracy through her actions. In response, the BJP has accused the Congress of trying to divert attention from its own issues, particularly referencing a recent Karnataka High Court order that calls for an investigation into Chief Minister Siddaramaiah concerning the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
The BJP claims that the Congress is “rattled” by this order and is attempting to shift focus to distract from its own political challenges. This back-and-forth highlights the intense political rivalry in the state, especially as both parties gear up for future electoral battles.
The stay on the investigation signifies a temporary reprieve for the accused ministers amid rising tensions between the BJP and Congress in Karnataka. As the political landscape continues to evolve, both parties will likely navigate these challenges carefully, aware of the implications for their reputations and electoral prospects in the upcoming months.