Expressing displeasure at the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) move challenging the bail granted to Congress Karnataka leader DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case, the apex court dismissed ED’s plea and said “this is not the way you treat citizens”.
ED had moved the apex court challenging the Delhi HC’s order granting bail to Shivakumar on Oct 25. Earlier, the Delhi HC had granted the bail to Shivakumar on Oct 23.
Shivakumar was arrested by ED on September 3 in a money laundering case.
A seven time MLA, he was booked along with an employee of Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi and a few others over charges of corruption and money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case was based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against Shivakumar and others 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.
—India Legal Bureau