DK Shivakumar appears before CBI in disproportionate assets case

Bengaluru, Nov 25: Congress Karnataka unit president D K Shivakumar on Wednesday appeared before CBI in Bengaluru for questioning in connection with a disproportionate assets case registered against him, sources said.

The CBI had served Shivakumar a notice on November 19, asking him to appear on November 23, but he had sought time citing pre-arranged meetings at Ballari, Maski and Basava Kalyan. Heeding his request, the CBI had allowed him to appear before the agency on Wednesday.

He was questioned for about one and half hours and then allowed to go, said sources in the Congress. Shivakumar then went to the party office, where he attended the condolence meeting in memory of senior party leader Ahmed Patel and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. He later flew to Ahmedabad to attend the funeral of Patel, sources close to Shivakumar told PTI.

Ahead of appearing before CBI, Shivakumar said he will cooperate with the officials of the country's premier investigating agency. The Kanakapura MLA told his supporters there was no need to worry and he has done nothing that will bring a bad name to them.

The CBI on October 5 had conducted searches at 14 locations, including in Karnataka, Delhi and Mumbai at the premises linked to Shivakumar and others.

The central agency had said the searches had led to recovery of Rs 57 lakh cash and several documents, including property documents, bank related information, computer hard disk etc, and that the investigation was continuing. The CBI had also registered a case against Shivakumar and his family members on the allegations of possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs 74.93 crore.