In the latest move, a Bengaluru court has reportedly ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on charges of extortion related to the electoral bonds that now stand scrapped.

In response to the FIR order, the Bharatiya Janata Party has defended the Union Finance Minister while distancing itself from allegations against her.

According to reports, the party claimed that these charges were politically motivated, and further pointed out that the issue of electoral bonds is not a criminal matter.

Meanwhile, the BJP has also attacked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the MUDA case.

The complaint, lodged by Adarsh Iyer from the Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane, has indicted Sitharaman and others on charges of extortion through the use of electoral bonds.

The Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru has ordered an FIR following the complaint. The hearing in this matter has been postponed to October 10, the reports stated.

The Supreme Court had declared the electoral bonds scheme ‘unconstitutional’ in February, stating it infringed upon the citizen’s right to information.