Karnataka HC quashes FIR against BJP state president Vijayendra

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday quashed the FIR registered against BJP state President B Y Vijayendra, who was accused of extorting money under the pretext of electoral bonds.

The FIR, filed by Bengaluru police in September based on a complaint by city activist Adarsh R Iyer, also named Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Enforcement Directorate officials, and BJP office-bearers at state and national levels.

At the time, Vijayendra was the BJP vice president, while Nalin Kumar Kateel, another accused, was the State BJP president. On December 3, the court quashed the case against Kateel.

“The entire extortion racket under the garb of electoral bonds was orchestrated hand-in-glove with BJP officials at various levels,” the complainant alleged.

The case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 384 (extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (common intention).