A Bengaluru court has ordered the registration of an FIR against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following allegations of extortion related to the now-abolished electoral bonds scheme. The complaint was filed by Adarsh Iyer from Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane, accusing Sitharaman and others of extortion through electoral bonds.

In response, the Special Court for People's Representatives directed the filing of an FIR. This comes after the Supreme Court declared the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional in February, citing violations of citizens' right to information. The scheme, introduced in 2018, aimed to increase transparency in political funding by replacing cash donations to political parties.

Reacting to the FIR, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for Sitharaman’s resignation and urged that an investigation report be submitted within three months. He emphasized that Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which offers additional protection to public servants, mandates a thorough investigation be completed within a specific timeframe.

Siddaramaiah, facing his own legal scrutiny under Section 17A for alleged irregularities in the MUDA case, demanded the resignation of JD(S) leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy over corruption charges as well, also calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign in connection with the electoral bonds extortion case.