Congress gives statewide protest call over DKS' arrest

Bengaluru, Sep 03: The Karnataka Congress on Wednesday would protest against the arrest of their leader DK Shivakumar by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged money laundering case.

Karnataka Congress has called for a statewide protest tomorrow, reported ANI.
Shivakumar may approach Special ED court for bail on September 5. The former minster's lawyers reportedly preparing for bail plea.

Congress leader and former minister in the HD Kumaraswamy government DK Shivakumar was on Tuesday arrested in connection with an alleged money laundering case. Shivakumar was arrested in Delhi by Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He was reportedly arrested for 'Non-cooperation'.

The former cabinet minister and sitting MLA from Kanakapura seat appeared before the central probe agency for questioning for the fourth time on Tuesday at its headquarters in Khan Market here. After a long session of grilling, Shivakumar was placed under arrest as per provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said. The agency wants the Congress leader to be put through custodial interrogation and hence he was arrested, they said. Soon after his arrest, tweets put out from his handle termed the cases against him as politically motivated as they took a dig at "BJP friends" for being "successful in their mission of arresting" him.

"I appeal to my party cadre, supporters and well-wishers to not be disheartened as I have done nothing illegal. I have full faith in God & in our country's Judiciary and am very confident that I will emerge victorious both legally and politically against this vendetta politics. I congratulate my BJP friends for finally being successful in their mission of arresting me. The IT and ED cases against me are politically motivated and I am a victim of BJP's politics of vengeance and vendetta," the tweets said.

His supporters, who had gathered outside the ED office, raised slogans and tried to prevent probe officials from taking him for a procedural medical check-up after his arrest. Shivakumar will be produced before a court here on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate for seeking his custody, they said. The central agency had in September last year registered the money laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others.

The Karnataka Congressman had denied any wrongdoing and had said that for playing an "instrumental role" in ensuring safe stay of Gujarat Congress MLAs in a Karnataka resort during the Rajya Sabha polls in 2017, amid allegations that the BJP was trying to poach them, I-T searches were conducted and ED subsequently took action against him.