Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar has been granted bail by the Delhi High Court Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case. He was asked to sign a personal bond of Rs 25 lakh and not leave the country till hearing ends in the case
Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar has been granted bail by the Delhi High Court Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case. He was asked to sign a personal bond of Rs 25 lakh and not leave the country till hearing ends in the case
The former Karnataka minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on September 3, based on a chargesheet filed by the Income Tax Department against him. He was accused of funneling unaccounted money through hawala channels with the help of others. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Shivakumar was charged with tax evasion and ‘hawala’ transactions worth crores of rupees.
On October 17, the court had expressed anguish over non-availability of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) law officer during hearing of the bail plea by Shivakumar, observing that the agency cannot play “hide and seek” with it. Justice Suresh Kait subsequently reserved the order on the Congress’s bail plea in which he claimed that the case was a result of political rivalry and there was not enough evidence against him.
ED had opposed his bail plea saying the Congress strongman was an influential person and, if released, he could tamper with evidence and influence witnesses.
Earlier today, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday visited Shivakumar at Tihar Jail.
The former Karnataka minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on September 3, based on a chargesheet filed by the Income Tax Department against him. He was accused of funneling unaccounted money through hawala channels with the help of others. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Shivakumar was charged with tax evasion and ‘hawala’ transactions worth crores of rupees.
On October 17, the court had expressed anguish over non-availability of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) law officer during hearing of the bail plea by Shivakumar, observing that the agency cannot play “hide and seek” with it. Justice Suresh Kait subsequently reserved the order on the Congress’s bail plea in which he claimed that the case was a result of political rivalry and there was not enough evidence against him.
ED had opposed his bail plea saying the Congress strongman was an influential person and, if released, he could tamper with evidence and influence witnesses.
Earlier today, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday visited Shivakumar at Tihar Jail.