Relief for Nirmala Sitharaman as HC halts electoral bond probe

The Karnataka High Court provided significant relief to Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other BJP leaders by issuing an interim stay on the investigation concerning the electoral bond extortion case. The ruling came as a response to a petition that questioned the legality and basis of the investigation, which has garnered considerable media attention and political implications.

During the proceedings, the court highlighted Section 286 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which outlines the necessary elements for a case of extortion to be established. The justices emphasized that, according to the law, there must be a direct threat and a formal complaint from the affected party for an extortion charge to be held.

In this case, the court observed that no credible threat had been made against the complainant, raising doubts about the validity of the magistrate's order that had allowed the investigation to proceed.

The bench noted that the magistrate's order failed to adequately consider the specifics surrounding the alleged extortion. Consequently, the court's interim order effectively halts any investigative actions until the next scheduled hearing on October 22, allowing the involved parties time to prepare their arguments without the pressure of ongoing investigations.