FIR against Naleen Kumar: K'taka HC reserves order on electoral bond extortion case

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Former State BJP president Naleen Kumar Kateel, while seeking to quash an FIR registered against him for allegedly extorting money in the guise of electoral bonds, informed the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday that neither co-accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman nor others involved had received any property as defined under the relevant provisions for the alleged offence. Kateel further argued the complaint would take on a different character if the alleged victim were to come forward, which had not happened. The complaint, filed by Adarsh Iyer, alleged that government agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were used to pressure companies into purchasing electoral bonds.

Justice M. Nagaprassana, presiding over the matter, reserved the order after and extended the interim protection granted to the accused until the judgment's pronouncement. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the complainant Adarsh Iyer, argued that the case exemplified "classic extortion." He stated that victims of such extortion were often beneficiaries of the crime since actions like ED or IT raids ceased after payments were made.