Cong’s Shivakumar appears before ED in Delhi, faces arrest

The former minister faces arrest after his request for protection from arrest was rejected by the Karnataka High Court on Thursday. He was summoned by the probe agency last night after his petition challenging the summons was rejected by the Karnataka High Court. This development comes right after Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s arrest in the INX media case.

He arrived at the agency’s headquarters in Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, around 6:30 pm and was accompanied by his supporters. He came to the national capital from Bengaluru, they said. “It is my duty (to appear)... I have to respect the law. We are law-makers and law abiding citizens. They (ED) have summoned me... I don’t know why they have called me under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). “But, let me see, hear them. I am ready to face them (ED),” the MLA from Kanakapura assembly seat told reporters before entering the agency’s office. Officials said the statement of the former state minister will be recorded under PMLA.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar indicated that his “instrumental role” in ensuring safe stay of Gujarat Congress MLAs in a Karnataka resort during the Rajya Sabha polls in 2017, amid allegations that the BJP was trying to poach them, was the reason for the I-T searches and subsequent ED action of the central agencies against him. The central agency had in September last year registered a money laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others.More on P10