Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a review petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court order granting bail to Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case.
This move comes two days after the Delhi HC granted conditional bail to the Karnataka leader stating that he could be released on bail on furnishing bond of Rs 25 lakhs and two sureties of like amount.
It may be recalled that DKShi has been in ED custody and later in Tihar jail over the last two months and all efforts of his legal team to secure bail met failure. Finally, on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court granted bail, stating that he cannot destroy the pieces of evidence pertaining to the case.
However, on Thursday, DKShi had to face yet another hurdle with the ED deciding to move SC over the decision of the Delhi HC.
In its petition, the ED has stated that the money laundering case is still under probe and since DKShi is an influential man, there are all chances of him destroying the evidence. The ED had also said that he may try to influence the witnesses who are yet to be questioned in the case.
The ED has not only urged the Supreme Court to squash the bail but has said that the case must be transferred to the High Court.
It is said that DKShi too had anticipated such a move by the ED and that is precisely why he did not return home to Bengaluru on his release on bail on Wednesday. He instead spent time with his lawyers and met some top party leaders. If at all the Supreme Court upholds the arguments of the ED, then Shivkumar will land back in jail.
Meanwhile, DKShi also met party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Thursday and thanked them for extending support to him. He met senior party colleague KC Venugopal and advocate Mukul Rohatgi during the day.
Shivakumar, the Congress’s all-weather troubleshooter, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 3 in a money laundering case. He was in Tihar jail under judicial custody for 50 days.
