Phenomenal growth in his income while he was in an important position, claim Enforcement Directorate officials
New Delhi: A Delhi Court yesterday sent Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) custody until Sept.13. The probe agency had earlier sought 14-day custodial interrogation of the leader, who was arrested on Tuesday night in a case of money laundering.
Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar pronounced the order in the matter after the ED argued that Shivakumar had been evasive and non-cooperative in the probe and there was “phenomenal growth” in his income while he was in important position.
Opposing the ED’s contentions, Shivakumar’s Counsel said that the Congress leader has already been quizzed for 33 hours by the agency and he is not a flight risk.
The ED had in September last year registered the money laundering case against Shivakumar and his four associates — Sachin Narayan (business associate), Sunil Kumar Sharma (proprietor of Sharma Transport), Anjaneya Hanumanthaiah (employee at Karnataka Bhawan, New Delhi) and N. Rajendran (a former State Government employee).
Counsel claims ‘slow torture’
Shivakumar, arrested on Tuesday night, was produced before the Court after he underwent medical check-up at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Shivakumar’s lawyers Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Dayan Krishnan opposed the ED’s plea for custodial interrogation, saying that he had joined the probe and never absconded.
His Counsel claimed that Shivakumar has not been given food and seemed that it is “slow torture” by ED. Singhvi said the Police remand is a rare exception and cannot be granted in a mechanical manner and the ED’s plea for Shivakumar’s custodial interrogation is perverse. He was opposing the submissions of the ED which told the Court that the Income Tax investigation and statement of various witnesses have revealed “incriminating evidence” against Shivakumar.
The ED said his custody is required as he has to be confronted with voluminous documents and to unearth illegal properties.
Custodial interrogation of Shivakumar is necessary as some facts are in his personal knowledge, it said, adding that he tried to misguide the investigation.
It said Shivakumar’s interrogation was needed to ascertain the source of money and unearth the modus operandi and that he did not explain cash seized in search.
Shivakumar sends video message
Meanwhile, Shivakumar said political vendetta has become stronger than law in India.
In a video posted on his Twitter, Shivakumar is seen sitting on a chair, leaning back, saying, “Political vendetta has become stronger than the law in this country.” A Policeman can be seen standing beside him.
The video message on Twitter came just hours after his request to address the people of Karnataka was turned down by the Court where the ED was seeking his custody for 14 days.
“Absolutely not,” said Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar when Shivakumar’s Counsel made the request.
DKShi and Two Kinds of Power Failure
Summer of 2015, Karnataka was reeling under power cuts. A local village level BJP worked named Sai Divakar Rai from Bellare in Sullia Taluk faced the worst nightmare of his life. There was a prolonged power failure in his neighborhood. Rai made repeated calls to KEB (Karnataka Electricity Board) office in his village. Not able to restore power supply, the KEB staff were irritated by these repeated calls. They referred Rai to Sullia substation. Rai called Sullia substation and was advised to call the Electricity Minister.
Sullia substation staff gave him the phone number of Electricity Minister. Sai Divakar Rai believed, being a citizen of Karnataka, he had the right to call the Minister. He called the Minister and complained about prolonged power failure. The Minister got angry and scolded Rai. Angered by the Minister’s outburst, Rai told him, “Your own department people gave me the number and told me to call you. Either they have to solve our problems or you must do it. Someone must take responsibility.”
The Minister was incensed at the arrogance of a mere mortal and gave a mouthful to Rai. Reportedly, there was an exchange of harsh words from both sides. About two hours later in the middle of the night, there was unbelievable commotion and utter chaos in Rai’s home. The Police had entered his house through the roof by removing tiles. He was arrested, tied down by force, taken to police station and was taught a befitting lesson for showing the temerity to argue with a Minister.
Rai spent the night and next morning in Police station with his desperate family lamenting outside the Police station. Rai was finally released next afternoon with a stern warning never to question a Minister in future. An ordinary man and his family had cried an entire night, cursing the Minister and the system for the high handed behavior and unjust punishment meted out to him.
An elderly couple, the parents of Rai had spent a horrendous night fearing for the life of their son. Their cries and their curses must be reverberating in Karnataka today. DK Shivakumar aka DKShi, the Electricity Minister who was responsible for that nightmare of Rai family is in the Enforcement Directorate custody tonight. He has been remanded for 9 days.
Perhaps this is what is called poetic justice. DKShi, the mighty Congress strongman from Kanakapura was crying on National television last night. He was lamenting that the vengeful BJP government was victimizing him for absolutely no fault of his. He was crying because he wasn’t allowed to do rituals related to his father’s death anniversary. Interestingly, father’s death had not acted as a hindrance to DKShi’s oath taking as Minister.
That midsummer night, Sai Divakar Rai had a power failure and the powerful Minister had made him spend a night in the police station. Tonight, DKShi is suffering a power failure. Bereft of Ministerial powers, lacking in government backing and without law enforcement agencies at his mercy, DKShi is drawing just wages of his misdeeds. We all must remember an extremely important lesson here. Power is fickle. It can, it is bound to and it will fail some day. On that day, even the most powerful will remember, “I too am mere a mortal.”
@Subbu I believe this story. Independent India gave rise to these corrupt politicians who are mere thugs. The corrupt culture is enmeshed in all starnds of India-the society,the institutions, the politicians , the officials and the lot. The ideals of the founding fathers who fought for independence were tarnished by the generations of politicians who came after them , and this man is an example. I left India decades ago, seeing the country mired in corrupt cesspit. Putting him jail for 30 years,and removing all his assets,will teach him a lesson. His lawyer whocomes to aidof all Congress politicians is a disgrace to the society.
Interesting that former finance minister of India is also facing charges. What a country!!
The Congress party is crying that Modi govt is finishing its leaders one by one only out of vengeance.The other way is right.that party called Congress is mostly made up of culprits who enjoyed unquestioned days for 70 years.