Don’t copy-paste arguments from Chidambaram case: Court to ED

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the Delhi High Court order granting bail to Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) in money-laundering case. Taking up the petition this morning, the SC Bench, comprising Justices R.F. Nariman and S. Ravindra Bhat, also pulled up the ED for copy-pasting arguments from Chidambaram’s case without editing. 

The SC also issued a notice in the petition filed by DKS seeking quashing of charges against him by the Income Tax Department.

The Delhi HC had on Oct. 23 granted bail to Shivakumar. The ED had moved the SC challenging the Delhi HC decision granting bail to DKS saying the Congress leader could tamper with the evidence in the case.

Shivakumar was booked along with Hanumanthaiah an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi and others for alleged offences under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The case was based on a chargesheet filed by the I-T Department against them last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and ‘hawala’ transactions worth crores or rupees.

The I-T Department has accused Shivakumar and his alleged associate S.K. Sharma of indulging in transactions involving huge amounts of unaccounted money on a regular basis through ‘hawala’ channels with the help of three other accused.