K'taka HC refuses to stay ED summons to DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru, Aug 29: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday refused to stay the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case.

Earlier, the senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar's petition seeking dismissal of summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asking him to attend the enquiry related to Income Tax (I-T) raid on his flats in New Delhi.

The HC's single-judge bench headed by Justice Arvind Kumar dismissed the petition filed by DK Shivakumar and four others.

The ED had registered a money laundering case against the senior Congress leader. The case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act was filed based on the charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against the minister and other four people, following a three-day raid on his properties. ED has also sought an explanation from Shivakumar about the source of money.

In this I-T raid, the officials have recovered Rs 8.59 crore from his flat in New Delhi. The I-T officials who have conducted raids on the houses and offices of Shivakumar and his associates have prepared a report based on the documents they have seized.

The officials also investigated into the case after recovering the dairies of the accused and prepared 33-page report enlisting the allegations. The same report was handed over to the ED which registered a case against Shivakumar.

A Special Court of Economic Offences had granted bail to Shivakumar and three others in connection with the case filed by the I-T Department.

Shivakumar is a prominent Vokkaliga leader and is considered a troubleshooter of the State Congress with close links to the Congress high command.