Activist Adarsh R. Iyer, representing the NGO Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath, lodged a complaint accusing BJP leaders and ED officials of extorting private firms under the pretext of the Electoral Bonds scheme
Published Dec 03, 2024 | 10:36 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 03, 2024 | 10:36 PM
Karnataka High Court to hear petition over use of non-existing judgments in trial court order (Wikmedia)
The Karnataka High Court has quashed an FIR filed against former BJP Karnataka state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel, in connection with allegations of extortion through the controversial Electoral Bonds scheme.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, while hearing a petition filed by Nalin Kumar Kateel, directed the quashing of the case.
The FIR had been registered after the XLII Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Bengaluru took cognizance of a private complaint filed against them.
The complaint, lodged by activist Adarsh R Iyer, who represents the NGO Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath, accused BJP leaders and some officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of extorting private firms under the guise of Electoral Bonds.
The complaint alleged that these leaders, in collusion with ED officials, had facilitated illegal gains totaling ₹8,000 crore or more from private companies through the scheme, which was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year in February.
Iyer’s complaint pointed to raids conducted by the ED on companies like Vedanta, Sterlite, and Aurobindo Pharma, alleging these operations were used to pressure company owners into donating large sums to the BJP via the Electoral Bonds scheme.
In his petition to quash the FIR, Nalin Kumar Kateel argued that the case against him was “falsely implicated” with a political motive.
During the proceedings, advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing Iyer, argued that there was no legal bar preventing a citizen from initiating criminal proceedings in cases involving serious offences.
On the other hand, Senior Advocate KG Raghavan, appearing for Kateel, contended that the FIR did not meet the necessary legal requirements to substantiate charges of extortion.
Adarsh Iyer told South First: “We are going to file an SLP challenging the high court order. I have already spoken with advocate Prasanth Bushan, where he instructed to start preparing the draft.”
“I feel that there is a serious error in the judgement. It put the entire criminal justice in topsy-turvy situation. If this interpretation is taken forward then no crime can be reported except victim,” Iyer dismayed over the high court order.
He continued: “We got cent per cent confidence on the apex court. If this interpretation is taken forward then there will be collusion among extortion and extortionist. It will benefit them.”
“There is no part where it says that the person who is in knowledge of the crime cannot come forward and give a complaint,” Iyer added that he will soon file SLP on the matter.
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Mahesh M Goudar)
