DK Shivakumar/File Image
Absolutely not! That is how the judge reacted when Congress leader DK Shivakumar requested Delhi's Rouse Avenue court if he could address the people of Karnataka. Congress' troubleshooter in Karnataka was sent by ED custody till September 13, a day after his arrest in a money laundering case.
DK Shivakumar case: Here's what happened inside the courtroom
Shivakumar's counsel opposed Enforcement Directorate's contentions, and said the Congress leader has already been quizzed for 33 hours by the agency and he is not a flight risk. After the court passed the order, Shivakumar's counsel sought permission for the Congress leader to make appeal to his supporters, who have come in large number outside the court premises, to maintain peace.
Shivakumar's request was immediately rejected. 'Absolutely not', Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar responded. However, the court allowed Shivakumar to meet his family members in the courtroom itself.
Shivakumar was arrested on Tuesday evening by the financial probe agency after questioning him on the fourth day in connection with a money laundering case that the agency had registered in September last year.
What is DK Shivakumar's case:
The ED had in September last year registered the money laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others.
Shivakumar has been on the radar of the Income Tax Department and the ED since demonetisation in 2016. An Income Tax search at his New Delhi flat on August 2, 2017 led to seizure of unaccounted cash worth Rs 8.59 crore.
Thereafter, the Income Tax Department lodged cases against the Congress leader and his four other associates under Sections 277 and 278 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and Sections 120(B), 193 and 199 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
On Friday, Shivakumar deposed before the ED for the first time after the Karnataka High Court rejected his petition for interim protection from arrest by the agency. He was arrested by the ED after it questioned him for over 29 hours in four days since Friday evening and he will be produced before a Delhi court on Wednesday.
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