Senior Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Saturday, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for a second round of questioning.
On Friday, 30 August, the former minister was questioned by the ED for over four hours in a money laundering case, officials said.
Shivakumar, accompanied by his supporters, arrived at the agency's headquarters in the Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, in Delhi around 11 am on Saturday.
On Friday, officials said Shivakumar’s statement has been recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Speaking to the media, Shivakumar said that he had been asked to appear again on Saturday and that he would be cooperating fully.
“It is my duty (to appear)... I have to respect the law. We are law-makers and law abiding citizens. They (ED) have summoned me... I don't know why they have called me under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).”
“But, let me see, hear them. I am ready to face them (ED),” the MLA from Kanakapura had told reporters before entering the agency's office on Friday, according to PTI.
No Relief from the Court
Earlier on Friday, the Karnataka High Court declined to accept Shivakumar’s plea for extending time for his appearance before the ED or granting him protection from arrest, in connection with the case.
On Thursday, the ED issued fresh summons to Shivakumar, asking him to appear before it in Delhi on Friday. On the same day, the HC had dismissed Shivakumar’s petition challenging the summons issued to him by the ED in a money-laundering case.
Stating that he was yet to receive a copy of the court order, Shivakumar said, when he arrived home on Thursday night, that ED officers from Delhi and Bengaluru had issued the summons asking him to appear at 1 pm in Delhi on Friday, PTI reported.
Ahead of his travel to Delhi, the Congress leader had said that he had delayed his appearance before the ED as he had to offer Gauri pooja, among other family engagements.
"I have not been able to meet my lawyers. Last night I was issued summons, they have asked me to appear by 1 (PM on Friday) urgently in Delhi. I have to meet my lawyers and have family commitments, after that I will go to Delhi," he said, as per PTI.
The Congress leader said that as a law abiding citizen, on receiving the notice from authorities, he had personally, on many occasions, appeared before them along with auditors, and furnished replies.
‘No PMLA Involved Here’
Earlier during the day, Shivakumar told news agency ANI that it’s a normal Income Tax matter and that he will respect the ED’s summon and show up. "There is no Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) involved here," he had said.
Alleging that he was facing a political case for protecting some MLAs, Shivakumar said, "Let it be. I will have to face it for doing good to someone. Yesterday, our application in the high court has been dismissed. I will speak to you on all matters. I'm going to Delhi,” PTI reported.
"IT raid on me was politically motivated for hosting Gujarat Congress MLAs. As a loyal soldier of Congress and a responsible politician, I did what party asked me to do, for which I am being targeted. I have full faith in legal systems and will face this legally as well as politically," he said in a tweet.
He also blamed the BJP for harassing him, and told news agency ANI:
“My great friend CM Yediyurappa had said in the Assembly that he will not indulge in vindictive politics, but he started working with vindictiveness the day he assumed office. It is unfortunate, he is canceling orders of the previous government.”
Case Registered by ED in 2018
In September 2018, the ED had registered a money-laundering case against Shivakumar and few others on the basis of an alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions case.
The agency had booked Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), PTI reported.
The case has been filed based on a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income Tax Department against him early last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions worth crores of rupees.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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