Probe agencies being misused to ‘extort’ donations for BJP: Cong

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday alleged that probe agencies were being misused to "extort" donations for the BJP from private companies and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into what it called "hafta-vasooli" by the government. Addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that at least 30 companies, which donated a total of nearly Rs 335 crore to the BJP between financial years 2018-19 and 2022-23, faced investigation by central agencies during that period.

Ramesh said Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal on Friday wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the issue and asked why the government should not be open to a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the donations received by the BJP.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a post on X said, "Do you know about the Prime Minister's 'Donate, take bail and business' scheme? In the country, the Prime Minister is doing business like 'vasooli bhai' by misusing ED, IT and CBI."