New Delhi:
A Delhi court on Friday extended Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar’s custodial interrogation till September 17. Shivakumar, arrested on September 3 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case, was produced before special court on the expiry of his 9-day custodial interrogation.
Appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, ASG KM Natraj sought five more days of Shivakumar’s custody, claiming that the agency has collected voluminous documents, which he needs to be confronted with.
The ED also alleged that many of Shivakumar’s properties were ‘benami’ and that he diverted more than Rs 200 crore of tainted money through 317 bank accounts.
“Many of Shivakumar’s properties are ‘benami’. Tainted money diverted through 317 bank accounts. As per probe against Shivakumar, tainted money is more than Rs 200 crore and there is Rs 800 crore worth ‘benami’ properties” ASG Natraj told the court.
Hearing ED’s plea, special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar told the ED that it should take care of Shivakumar’s medical requirements first and only then ask him questions. Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented Shivakumar, had asked the court to send his client to a hospital, citing his “very serious” health condition.
Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on September 3 in connection with a money laundering case that surfaced following an I-T raid in 2017. The I-T department has accused Shivakumar and his alleged associate SK Sharma of transporting huge amount of unaccounted cash on a regular basis through ‘hawala’ channels with the help of three other accused.
The Congress leader, however, categorically denied the allegations levelled against him and termed his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering “politically motivated”. He said that he is a victim of the ruling BJP’s “politics of vengeance and vendetta”.
