The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate.

Justice Suresh Kait granted relief to the Congress leader saying that Shivakumar is not a flight risk.

The judge also said that Shivakumar cannot tamper with evidence as documents are with investigating agencies and there is no material to show he has influenced witnesses.

The court directed that he be released on bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 25 lakh and two sureties of like amount.

Shivakumar, 57, was arrested by the ED on September 3 in the money laundering case. He is lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody and had challenged the trial court’s order denying him bail in the case.

Shivakumar, a seven-time MLA in Karnataka, was booked along with Haumanthaiah -- an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi -- and others for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case was based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against them last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and “hawala” transactions worth crores or rupees.

Earlier, Congress President Sonia Gandhi met Shivakumar in Tihar jail on Wednesday morning and assured him of all support from the party. She was accompanied by Congress general secretary Ambika Soni and Congress MP DK Suresh, who is also the brother of Shivakumar.

Talking to reporters here, Suresh said the Congress president assured Shivakumar that the party is with him and will stand in his support. Gandhi told Shivakumar that this is a case of “political vendetta” and other Congress leaders are also being targeted like this by the BJP government at the Centre, he said. “We have to fight them and come out of this,” Suresh said, quoting the Congress president.

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