Enforcement Directorate Summons Karnataka Congress’ DK Shivakumar To Delhi In Money Laundering Case
DK Shivakumar says he is facing a political case for protecting a few Karnataka MLAs.
Senior Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar said he has received fresh summons from the Enforcement Directorate, asking him to appear before it in Delhi on Friday.
The ED's move came after the Karnataka High Court dismissed Shivakumar's petition challenging the summons issued to him in a money-laundering case.
"Please don't take tension, I have not taken tension, there is no need to take tension. I have not committed any mistake. I have not committed any rape or taken money, there is nothing against me," Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru on Friday.
"Have received summons from ED late yesterday night at 9:40 p.m. asking me to appear at 1:00 p.m. in Delhi today. Although the sudden scheduling by ED is malafide, I believe in rule of law and will definitely participate and fully cooperate with them and abide by the law of our country," he tweeted.
Alleging he was facing a political case for protecting a few Karnataka MLAs, Shivakumar said, “Let it be. I'll have to face it for doing good to someone. Yesterday, our application in the high court was dismissed. I will speak to you on all matters. I'm going to Delhi."
"I have not been able to meet my lawyers. Last night I was issued summons, they have asked me to appear by 1 urgently in Delhi. I have to meet my lawyers and have family commitments, after that I will go to Delhi," he added.
The ED had in September 2018 registered a money-laundering case against Shivakumar and few others on the basis of an alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions case.
The agency had booked Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2010.
The case has been filed based on a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income Tax Department against him early last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions worth crores.
"The IT raids on me was politically motivated for hosting Gujarat Congress MLAs. As a loyal soldier of Congress and a responsible politician, I did what party asked me to do, for which I am being targeted. I have full faith in legal systems and will face this legally as well as politically," he said in another tweet.