Congress demands FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s resignation over FIR in electoral bonds scheme case

The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after a case was lodged against her and others on directions of a special court in Karnataka, which was hearing a complaint relating to the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme. Addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and general secretary Jairam Ramesh reiterated the party’s demand for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry through a Special Investigation Team into the whole electoral bond scheme. Mr. Singhvi and Mr. Ramesh alleged that four ways were used to extort money through “pre-paid bribery,” “post-paid bribery,”, “post raid bribery” and through “shell companies.” Mr. Ramesh said the Finance Minister should immediately resign as she was “guilty” politically, legally and morally. A case was registered on Saturday against Ms. Sitharaman and others on the directions of a special court in Bengaluru, following a complaint filed by Adarsh R. Iyer, co-president of Janadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath, alleging that the accused “committed extortion under the guise and garb of electoral bonds” and benefited to the tune of more than ₹8,000 crore.