Electoral Bonds: SC dismisses plea against quashing of extortion case against BJP leader Naleen Kumar Kateel

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea against the Karnataka High Court's December 3, 2024 judgment which quashed the criminal proceedings related to extortion against then state BJP president Naleen Kumar Kateel by the Electoral Bonds Scheme.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar dismissed the plea filed by Adarsh R Iyer of 'Janaadhikaaara Sangharsha Parishath', represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan.

"We cannot allow a roving inquiry in the absence of concrete material. We are not inclined to interfere with the high court order," the bench said.

The counsel contended a criminal case couldn't be scuttled in such a manner.

The court, however, clarified, the dismissal of the present matter would not mean any other case or FIR could not be filed in future if supported by concrete material.

The High Court has quashed proceedings against Kateel on allegations of criminal conspiracy and extortion by pressuring business entities to buy the electoral bonds in favour of his party. The court observed that not only the complainant is an alien to the transactions (purchase of electoral bonds), but also has no locus standi to maintain a complaint for extortion.

Kateel had moved the court challenging the FIR registered by the Tilak Nagar police in Bengaluru city. The FIR had also named union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman, the officials of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), office bearers of BJP and others.

Iyer, Bengaluru- based activist, claimed that the Finance Minister had taken the assistance of ED officers to conduct raids, searches, and arrest of the Managing Directors of several corporate bodies. The corporate bodies were put in fear and coercion to buy electoral bonds worth several crores, he said.