DK Shivakumar: 'I am confident, strong; will fight for justice'

Senior Indian National Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who after his release on bail returned to Bengaluru on Saturday said he was "confident", "strong" and would fight for justice. Shivakumar was released on bail from a Delhi prison where he was held in a money laundering case. DK Shivakumar also claimed that he has not betrayed anyone at any point of time and would come out with facts and documents regarding the case in the days to come.

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'I'm ready to accept any punishment'

"If my brother, myself and my family members had gone against the law, I'm ready to accept any punishment... If I have done wrong let them hang me... but I won't remain silent," Shivakumar stated. Addressing the reporters, Shivakumar further stated, "I won’t go against my conscience... I don't want to trouble or cheat anyone. I don't need such life. I come from a village." "There's no question of going back. I will fight. Time and law will give answers. I'm personally confident," the senior Congress leader added. DK Shivakumar further said that "I will fight for justice.”

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ED's case against Shivakumar

The ED case against Shivakumar is based on the charge sheet filed by the Income Tax (I-T) department in 2018. Essentially, the I-T department raided 60 properties of Shivakumar and his associates in August 2017. It unearthed nearly Rs 8.59 crore of cash at four of his premises in Delhi. The I-T department accused him of regularly transporting unaccounted cash through the Hawala network with the help of his four associates namely, Sachin Narayan, Sunil Kumar Sharma, Anjaneya Hanumanthaiah and N Rajendran. These associates were booked for abetment of false returns and giving false evidence. According to the I-T department, Shivakumar was instrumental in setting up a web of persons in Delhi and Bengaluru to transport and utilize the unaccounted cash. All of them were accused of tax evasion too. 

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ED had opposed his bail plea

While the ED had opposed his bail plea, Justice Suresh Kait of the Delhi High Court granted bail to Shivakumar on Wednesday, October 23. Ruling that the Karnataka Congress leader was not a flight risk, he added that there was no possibility of the evidence being tampered with as the documents were already with the investigative agencies. Shivakumar, who was released on a bail bond of Rs 25 lakh cannot leave the country without the permission of the court. Subsequently, the ED challenged the bail granted to him in the Supreme Court.  

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(INPUTS FROM PTI)