CBI has issued a notice to Kerala-based television channel Jaihind seeking details of the investments made in the channel by Shivakumar.
DK Shivakumar. (X)
Questioning the legality of the CBI notice against Kerala-based television channel Jaihind regarding details of the investments made in the TV channel by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the leader asserted, on Monday, 1 January, that a big political conspiracy was being hatched against him to “fix him”.
“Some BJP leader had earlier said that they would send me to prison. I had invited them for a discussion. A huge conspiracy is being made to plant me. I have not made any mistake. Let them investigate whatever they want. I will get justice where I want,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, addressing the media.
The Bengaluru unit of the agency, which is probing the case against Shivakumar, had asked the Managing Director of Jaihind Communications Pvt Ltd to appear before it on 11 January, along with all the requisite documents sought by the investigation officer.
The investigation is in connection with a disproportionate assets case against the Congress leader, officials said Sunday, 31 December.
Asserting that the case has been handed over to Karnataka Lokayukta, Shivakumar said, “My institution has also got notice from the CBI. There is a firm in partnership, where I am the chief. There also they have served notice. They are also seeking details from my family members including my spouse and children. The CBI are questioning everyone.”
“They will first finish the probe in the institutions and also come individually later. The government has already given the case to Lokayukta. I have no role to play here, I have not even insisted,” he said.
“I will reply to whatever question Lokayukta has. The investigation has not yet finished. They should have interrogated me but they did not. They have not even completed 10 percent of the investigation. I don’t know on what basis they said to the court that they had finished 90 percent of the probe,” said the Deputy Chief Minister, adding that he was ready to face further legal hurdles.
On CBI issuing notice to #Kerala-based television channel Jaihind, #Karnataka Deputy CM @DKShivakumar questioned the legality of the investigation and asserted that a big political conspiracy is being hatched against him to fix him.
Shivakumar told reporters in #Bengaluru: “The… pic.twitter.com/nIva1pEroO
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 1, 2024
Shivakumar said that the notice was issued not to the Kerala-based channel only but also to some others.
Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru, “The notice has not only served Jaihind channel but also to HOPCOMS (Horticultural Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society in Karnataka) and sub-registrars.”
“The government has withdrawn the sanctions to given to CBI to investigate this case. I am perplexed that under what scheming they have served notice,” he added.
“They possess all the documents. The government has withdrawn permission for the investigation in this case. The documents have to be submitted to Lokayukta. This is the situation as far as my knowledge,” Shivakumar argued that he has to submit the documents to Lokayukta instead of CBI.
Stating it is a political conspiracy to harass him, Shivakumar pointed out, “There are big people here to torture me. I know everything about this, let them do whatever they want. A conspiracy is being hatched to end my political career.”
In its notice issued under Section 91 of the CrPC, the agency has asked the channel to furnish details of investments made by Shivakumar and his wife Usha Shivakumar, dividends paid to them, share transactions, financial transactions along with bank details through which they were made, statement of holdings, their ledger accounts, contract notes and transactions for all share transactions among other details.
The CrPC Section 91 empowers a police investigation officer to summon documents pertaining to a case probed by him.
The CBI has also asked it to present the details of investments made by Shivakumar’s son and other family members in the channel.
Jaihind Managing Director BS Shiju said that they have received the CBI notice and will provide all the documents the agency has requested, asserting that all records are in their possession and no illegality is involved.
He alleged that the CBI’s action was a clear case of political vendetta by the BJP-led Union government.
Shiju, who is also a Congress leader in Kerala, claimed that the case had been investigated and closed by the previous BJP-led Karnataka government due to the absence of any identified illegality.
Talking to PTI, he said the reopening of the case is an attempt to “harass” the Congress party and its leaders ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The CBI registered a case against Shivakumar in 2020, alleging that between 2013 and 2018, he had amassed assets worth over ₹74 crore, which are allegedly disproportionate to his income.
(With PTI inputs)
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