Bengaluru: In a relief to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other BJP leaders, the High Court on Monday granted interim stay to the FIR registered by the Bengaluru Police for alleged electoral bond scheme extortion.

Based on a complaint by one Adarsh Iyer, an Associate President of Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP), Bengaluru’s Tilkangar Police had registered a case against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, State BJP Chief B.Y. Vijayendra, former President Nalin Kumar Kateel and other BJP State and National office-bearers for alleged ‘extortion’ of thousands of crores of rupees from companies by misusing the electoral bonds scheme and using Central agencies like the ED.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the interim order on a petition filed by former Karnataka BJP Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, who has been arraigned as Accused No. 4 in the FIR.

Senior Advocate K.G. Raghavan argued on behalf of Kateel, while senior Supreme Court Counsel Prashant Bhushan argued for the complainant Adarsh Iyer.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna, who heard the arguments and counter arguments in the case, granted a stay to the investigation till Oct. 22.

Earlier, based on a private complaint by Adarsh Iyer, the Special Court for MPs/MLAs, Bengaluru, Judge K.N. Shivakumar, had directed the Tilaknagar Police to register an FIR against the accused                                                                people representatives.