The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering case against him, Live Law reported. The senior Congress leader was told to pay two sureties of Rs 25 lakh each, and also directed not to leave India.
Shivakumar, who was arrested on September 3, thanked Congress workers after getting out of Tihar Jail, ANI reported. “I have been granted bail so with all your good wishes and with all the wishes of my party workers and supporters across the country, I am back,” he said. “I want to thank all of you for your kind support in this hour of crisis.”
A bench of single Judge Suresh Kumar Kait passed the bail order, and noted that the Congress leader was not a flight risk. The court added that he cannot tamper with the evidence as all of it is documentary and in possession of the agency. The judge ruled out the possibility of Shivakumar influencing witnesses in the case.
Last month, Shivakumar had approached the High Court with his bail application after it was rejected by the special CBI court.
A court in Delhi had first sent him to jail till October 1, and his custody was extended in subsequent hearings till October 25. On Tuesday, the High Court reprimanded the Enforcement Directorate after its lawyer failed to appear before the court to argue against Shivakumar’s bail plea.
The investigating agency had registered the case against him last year on the basis of an Enforcement Case Information Report after a complaint was filed by the Income Tax department. He is accused of evading tax and being involved in alleged hawala transactions worth crores of rupees.
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