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Closes Plea Seeking Probe into NaMo App Scandal
The has officially brought the curtain down on a heated regarding the "NaMo App" micro-donation platform. Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, presiding over the matter, closed the filed by B.R. Aravindakshan, which had sought a direction to the () to probe allegations of a multi-crore online donation "scandal."
A High-Stakes Legal Battle Over Digital Donations The petitioner, B.R. Aravindakshan, had approached the High Court alleging that the () operated a deceptive donation scheme through its official application. According to the petition, users were led to believe their contributions were supporting government welfare initiatives—such as the Swachh Bharat Mission and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao —when the funds were, in fact, being funneled into party coffers.
The petition specifically targeted top party figures, including former National President Jagat Prakash Nadda and Amit Malviya, alleging that they had conspired to amass "unlawful wealth."
The Allegations: A Case of Financial Mirage? At the heart of the dispute was the interface of the NaMo App itself. The petitioner claimed that social media campaigns by senior leaders created a "common motive" and "illusion" that the donations reached government schemes. Aravindakshan bolstered his claims by citing RTI responses, which allegedly confirmed that no provision exists under current regulations for private parties or individuals to solicit funding on behalf of government schemes.
The Pivot: ’s Jurisdictional Stand The case took a decisive turn when the Special Public Prosecutor appearing for the informed the Court that the agency had already scrutinized the complaint. Upon review, the concluded that the nature of the allegations did not fall within its .
"The learned Special Public Prosecutor (
) appearing for the seventh respondent submitted that on scrutiny, it was found that the complaint does not fall under the purview of
and therefore, the said complaint was closed on
,"
the court noted in its order.
Key Observations The brevity of the court's order underscored the facing the petitioner. The court’s dismissal was rooted in the following judicial record:
"The learned Special Public Prosecutor( ) appearing for the seventh respondent submitted that on scrutiny, it was found that the complaint does not fall under the purview of and therefore, the said complaint was closed on ."
"Recording the above submission, this is closed. Consequently, connected are closed."
The Verdict and Its Implications Following the submission by the , the High Court found no grounds to continue the petition, leading to its closure. For legal observers, this outcome highlights the strict adherence of the court to the defined investigative boundaries of central agencies. While the petitioner raised significant questions regarding political fundraising and digital transparency, the Court's decision reflects a refusal to expand the scope of the beyond its established .
The closure of the petition marks the end of this specific challenge to the NaMo App donations in the , leaving the underlying allegations of financial impropriety without a higher-level federal investigation at this stage.
