The high court has also directed the central agency to submit an action taken report before 22 February in the case registered.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued summons to Shivakumar, while his daughter was issued a notice by the CBI. (DK Shivakumar/Twitter)
The Karnataka High Court on Friday, 10 February, stayed the CBI’s proceedings in a corruption case against Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar till 24 February.
The high court has also directed the central agency to submit an action taken report before 22 February in the case registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued summons to Shivakumar, while his daughter was issued a notice by the CBI, the Congress leader had revealed on 8 February.
He had been asked to appear before ED on 22 February, which he had alleged was a “political vendetta”.
Appearing for the Congress state president before Justice K Natarajan on Friday, senior counsel CH Jadhav argued that the case was an attempt by the CBI and the ED to impose mental pressure on his counsel ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.
The agencies were repeatedly issuing notices to Shivakumar and his family, the court was informed.
However, the high court pointed out that the cases were from 2020, while also questioning the CBI on the progress of the investigation over the past two years.
The court asked the agency when it would file the final report and subsequently stayed the proceedings till the next date of hearing before adjourning the case.
The issue began with an income tax raid on Shivakumar in August 2017. The raid came at a time when Shivakumar was playing host to 44 Congress MLAs from Gujarat.
The Congress had entrusted Shivakumar with the task of shielding the MLAs from alleged poaching attempts by the BJP.
In the early hours of 2 August, 2017, I-T officials and armed Central police forces entered the resort and conducted raids.
I-T searches were carried out at 67 locations connected to Shivakumar, his family, and friends across the country.
The I-T Department said at least ₹9 crore in unaccounted cash was found and properties worth crores were attached for an investigation.
Based on the I-T chargesheet, the ED began its probe against him and registered a case of money laundering against Shivakumar in 2018.
Exactly 10 days after he was questioned by ED officials, Shivakumar was on the CBI’s radar.
Based on the ED’s investigation, the CBI sought sanction from the state government to file an FIR against the Congress state president.
In September 2019, he was sent to Tihar Jail in connection with the case. He walked out weeks later when the Delhi High Court granted him conditional bail.
In the past, Shivakumar deemed the CBI’s action as “mental harassment” and questioned its timing.
He also alleged, “Many in the BJP also face disproportionate-assets cases, but none of them has the CBI searching their homes. The Assembly Speaker (Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri) hasn’t given the CBI permission to raid any other MLA; only I am being targeted.”
For Shivakumar, who is aspiring to be Congress’ chief-ministerial candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, landing in jail once again is a threat.
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