The Enforcement Directorate on Friday filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging Delhi High Court’s order granting bail to Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case being probed by the agency.
In a special leave petition, the investigating agency said that if the seven-time Congress party MLA from Karnataka was allowed to remain outside the jail, he could also influence witnesses. The agency urged the court to cancel the bail granted to Karnataka Congress leader and MLA DK Shivakumar. The agency argued that since he was an influential politician, he could tamper with the evidence in the on-going investigation in a money laundering case.
The Congress troubleshooter was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on October 23. It had said that there was no material on record to show that he was a flight risk and there was no chance of tampering of evidence as all files are already under the custody of the agency.
However, Delhi High Court had ordered that DK Shivakumar cannot leave India without the court’s permission. The Delhi HC also asked him to assist the investigative agencies in their probe. He was asked to furnish a bail bond of Rs 25 lakh plus two sureties to obtain the bail.
The order was passed by a Single Judge Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait.
Also Read: Read the details of Enforcement Directorate’s case against Congress leader D K Shivakumar
DK Shivakumar had moved the High Court for bail last month after his bail was rejected by a special CBI Court. DK Shivakumar was sent to 14-days of judicial custody on September 17. Later, his custody was then further extended till October 25.
Earlier in the day when HC granted bail to the MLA, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi had visited the accused DK Shivakumar in the Tihar Jail. Reportedly, Sonia Gandhi assured DK Shivakumar that the party is with him and will stand in his support. Sonia Gandhi told him this is a case of “political vendetta” and other Congress leaders are also being targeted by the BJP government at the centre.
Congress leader DK Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 3 after undergoing four days of interrogation in relation to the case. The ED had cited Shivakumar’s non-cooperation during the questioning as the reason for his arrest.
