Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accused number-1 in the FIR, should resign immediately on the orders of the Special Court of Bengaluru: Jairam Ramesh.

By Sandy Verma On Sep 29, 2024

New Delhi. The Congress Party has registered a case against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others on the orders of the Special Court of Bengaluru on the complaint regarding the now canceled Electoral Bond Scheme. After this, on Sunday, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh and party spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a press conference. Also demanded the resignation of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for 'weakening democracy'.

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LIVE: Congress party briefing by Shri @DrAMSinghvi and Shri @Jairam_Ramesh at AICC HQ. https://t.co/Xb0AuSomJd
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 29, 2024

Recoveries were made through prepaid bribes, postpaid bribes, post-raid bribes and shell companies.

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The opposition party has reiterated its demand for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the entire Electoral Bond Scheme through a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi alleged that four methods have been used to extort money through the electoral bond conspiracy. Under this, recovery has been made through prepaid bribe, postpaid bribe, bribe after raid and through fake companies.

Singhvi also accused BJP of 'weakening democracy'

He said the Finance Minister should resign immediately as he is politically, legally and morally 'guilty'. Ramesh said the FIR was lodged on the orders of the court and Congress had nothing to do with the FIR. He said that Congress is demanding a Supreme Court monitored investigation of the Electoral Bond Scheme through SIT and it reiterates this demand. Singhvi also accused the BJP of 'weakening democracy'.

We know who number 1 and number 2 are and on whose instructions this was done

He said that the Finance Minister cannot do this on her own. We know who is number 1 and number 2 and on whose instructions this was done. Terming it as 'EBS' (Extortionist BJP Scheme), Singhvi said that the bigger issue is to provide level playing field, which is necessary for free and fair elections. Free and fair elections are vital for democracy. This is an attack on our democratic system.

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A case was registered against Sitharaman and others on Saturday on the directions of a Bengaluru court following a complaint related to the electoral bond scheme. This scheme has already been canceled. Based on a special court order, sections 384 (punishment for extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code have been filed against Union Minister Sitharaman, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, BJP functionaries at the state and national levels. An FIR was registered under section 34 (acts done by several persons with common intention).

The accused committed extortion in the guise of electoral bonds and benefited from more than Rs 8,000 crore.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka unit chief BY Vijayendra and party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel are also named in the FIR.
Janadhikar Sangharsh Parishad (JSP) co-chairman Adarsh R Iyer had filed the complaint, alleging that the accused committed extortion in the guise of electoral bonds and benefited from more than Rs 8,000 crore. The complainant alleged that Sitharaman extorted thousands of crores of rupees for the benefit of others at the state and national levels through the covert aid and support of ED officials.

It has been said that the work of extortion under the guise of electoral bonds was being carried out with the connivance of BJP officials at various levels. The Supreme Court had in February struck down the electoral bond scheme, saying it violates the right to information and freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution.