Multiple Cases: D.K. Shivakumar faces legal battles involving financial irregularities

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar currently faces multiple cases pending before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Karnataka Lokayukta, and the Income Tax Department.

The cases against Shivakumar involve various allegations, including that of financial irregularities, money laundering, possession of disproportionate assets, and non-cooperation during investigations.

IT raids

In 2017, the Income Tax (I-T) Department had conducted multiple raids at Shivakumar's premises in New Delhi and seized Rs 8.5 crore. During the raids, the department also discovered three flats in Safdarjung Enclave, which were said to be his 'benami' properties. The I-T team had claimed to have detected unaccounted cash amounting to around Rs 429 crore.

Later, the I-T Department filed a charge sheet in the matter before a special court in Bengaluru. Shivakumar, his alleged aide Haumanthaiah (who worked at the Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi), and a few others were accused of tax evasion and hawala transactions.

Arrest made by ED

Based on the charge sheet filed by the I-T Department, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had initiated a PMLA case against Shivakumar. The ED alleged that during the probe, it discovered approximately Rs 200 crore unaccounted cash belonging to Shivakumar. The ED claimed that the money was parked in over 317 bank accounts across 20 banks, all under Shivakumar's control. The ED also alleged the discovery of benami properties worth over Rs 800 crore linked to Shivakumar.

According to the ED, Shivakumar was evasive when questioned and confronted with the documents related to benami properties and unaccounted cash. He was questioned for more than 100 hours, and the ED recorded the statements of four witnesses to strengthen their case. Shivakumar was arrested in this case on September 3, 2019. However, he was granted bail by the Delhi High Court in October 2019. In May 2022, the ED had chargesheeted him in the matter.

The National Herald case

Apart from the benami properties and unaccounted money case, Shivakumar's name also came up during the investigation into the National Herald matter involving Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Shivakumar was summoned in the case while Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was going on.

CBI's action

In 2020, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a disproportionate assets case against Shivakumar based on the findings of the ED and the I-T Department's investigations. Although the CBI lodged the case and conducted nationwide searches, Shivakumar was never summoned to join the investigation. However, the agency did send a summon to his daughter D.K.S. Aisshwarya.