Delhi HC adjourns plea of Shivakumar's family challenging ED summons

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court adjourned the plea of senior Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar’s wife and mother challenging the summons issued to them by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Shivakumar is being probed by investigative agencies for tax evasion and money laundering for the last few years. The plea was adjourned after the ED told the court that it had issued fresh summons to Shivakumar’s family members. Claiming that they had not received the same, the latter requested time to amend the petition. Originally, they were asked to appear before the ED on October 15 and 17. The High Court will now hear the matter on November 4.  

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The I-T raids 

The ED case against Shivakumar is based on the charge sheet filed by the Income Tax (I-T) department in 2018. Essentially, the I-T department raided 60 properties of Shivakumar and his associates in August 2017. It unearthed nearly Rs. 8.59 crore of cash at four of his premises in Delhi. The I-T department accused him of regularly transporting unaccounted cash through the Hawala network with the help of his four associates. According to the I-T department, Shivakumar was instrumental in setting up a web of persons in Delhi and Bengaluru to transport and utilise the unaccounted cash.  

Read: DK Shivakumar: 'I Am Confident, Strong; Will Fight For Justice'

Shivakumar granted bail 

After the Karnataka High Court dismissed Shivakumar’s plea for quashing the ED summons on August 29, he was interrogated for 4 straight days. Thereafter, he was formally arrested. His custody was extended only till September 17, after which he was sent to Tihar jail. In the meantime, he moved the Delhi High Court seeking bail. On October 15, his judicial custody was extended till October 25. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior leader Ambika Soni met him in jail on Tuesday.   

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While the ED had opposed his bail plea, Justice Suresh Kait of the Delhi High Court granted bail to Shivakumar on Wednesday. Ruling that the Karnataka Congress leader was not a flight risk, he added that there was no possibility of the evidence being tampered with as the documents were already with the investigative agencies. Shivakumar, who was released on a bail bond of Rs. 25 lakh cannot leave the country without the permission of the court.

Read: Cong Leader DK Shivakumar Walks Out Of Tihar Jail After Getting Bail

(With ANI inputs)