Biocon Chief Issues Clarification Over Electoral Bonds, Says Donation To JDS Was At 'Personal Level'

Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said that the political donation made to JD(S) was in personal capacity and denied the involvement of her company.

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw clarified that the political donation made to JD(S) was in personal capacity

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Business tycoon Kiran Mazumdar Shaw issued a clarification on Monday after her company Biocon Limited's name surfaced on the list of donors to the HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular). The list of donors to various political parties was made public on Sunday after the Election Commission of India submitted the data on electoral bonds to the Supreme Court of India in sealed covers. 

Several political parties disclosed names of the entities who purchased electoral bonds including JD(S) which, as per the data, received proceeds of funds from Infosys, Embassy Group of Companies Megha Engineering, Shankarnarayana Constructions, JSW Steel, Aditya Birla Group, Amar Raj Groups, and Biocon Limited. 

However, on Monday, Shaw clarified that the political donation made to JD(S) was in her personal capacity and had no involvement of her Bengaluru-based biopharmaceutical company. 

"Would like to clarify that Biocon did not make any political donation to JDS or any other party for elections. At a personal level I purchased electoral bonds which I donated to JDS & several parties," said the Indian entrepreneur in a social media post on X. 

Would like to clarify that Biocon did not make any political donation to JDS or any other party for elections. At a personal level, I purchased electoral bonds which I donated to JDS & several parties. My donations were nominal on the principle of funding election campaigns with…

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) March 18, 2024

"My donations were nominal on the principle of funding election campaigns with white money," she added. 

She also mentioned that it was her "personal money" from and "has no connection with my company."

As per the data, that was published by the Election Commission of India on its website, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party encashed the highest amount of electoral bonds worth Rs 6,986.5 crore between April 2019 to September 2023 after they were introduced in 2018. This was followed by Trinamool Congress at nearly Rs nearly Rs 1397 crores. 

The Congress party received a total of Rs 1,334.35 crore through the electoral bond, becoming the third largest recipient.