Karnataka High Court pauses probe against Nirmala Sitharaman, other BJP leaders

Observing that there was no direct threat against the complainant, the Karnataka High Court on Monday issued a pause on the probe related to the electoral bond extortion case.

In Short

• Nirmala Sitharaman accused of extorting money in name of electoral bonds
• Karnataka High Court paused probe till next hearing on October 22
• Complainant alleged threats used to make companies buy electoral bonds

In a relief for Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Karnataka High Court paused an investigation related to the electoral bond extortion case for now.

The single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna ruled that under Section 286 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with extortion, certain key elements must be present, including a direct threat and a complaint from the affected person.

The court further observed that no such threat was made against the complainant, and the magistrate's order did not consider the specifics of extortion. The court interim order stays on the investigation until the next hearing, which is scheduled for October 22.

The complainant, in his petition, claimed that central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), pressured companies to buy electoral bonds through threats of ED raids.

Co-accused and former Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel filed a petition to quash the case, arguing that purchasing electoral bonds does not amount to extortion.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the complainant, countered that forcing companies to buy bonds under the fear of raids constitutes extortion.

Earlier on Monday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh slammed Nirmala Sitharaman, ED and other BJP leaders, who were allegedly involved in the case. He said, "The Union Finance Minister should resign on moral grounds."