CBI sends notice to Shivakumar-linked firm in DA case, he sees ‘revenge’ for helping Ahmed Patel
The notice came weeks after the Karnataka government withdrew the sanction for CBI to investigate the disproportionate case against the deputy chief minister.
The CBI has sought the details from the Kerala-based Jaihind Communications Private Limited, where Shivakumar is a partner. (Express file photo) The CBI has issued a notice asking for details of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s investment in a Malayalam television channel in connection with a disproportionate assets case—a move the Congress leader termed as being part of a political conspiracy.
The notice, served on Sunday, came weeks after the Karnataka government withdrew the sanction granted to the central agency to investigate the disproportionate case citing “procedural lapses”.
The CBI has sought the details from the Kerala-based Jaihind Communications Private Limited, where Shivakumar is a partner. The managing director of the firm has been summoned to appear before the investigating officer with all required documents.
Stating the CBI already had all the documents, Shivakumar said he did not know why the agency was still issuing notices. “Even after the high court agreed with the state government’s decision to withdraw permission granted to the CBI, I don’t know why they are issuing me notices,” he said.
“Even after the state government withdrew the sanction for prosecution, CBI officials have issued notices to sub-registrar offices, government offices, cooperative societies, companies where I am president and several others. I don’t know why they are issuing these notices. It appears that they are trying to create problems for me and my party,” Shivakumar added.
“There are big people harassing me. I know… Let them do whatever they can to finish me off politically,” said Shivakumar, who apart from being the state Congress president also holds the water resources and Bengaluru development portfolios in the Siddaramaiah cabinet.
The government has handed over the disproportionate assets case to the Lokayukta.
Shivakumar alleged that the central government was taking revenge on him for securing the Rajya Sabha election victory of the late Ahmed Patel in 2017. “He is not with us. Yet, they have continued to harass me. I know who is behind this,” he said, adding that he would fight such tactics legally.
During the political drama to secure Patel’s Rajya Sabha win in 2017, Shivakumar had hosted Congress legislators from Gujarat at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, leading to raids by income tax officials. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate subsequently registered cases against him.
Accused of money-laundering in 2019, he has spent time in prison, before getting bail.
Share
