New Delhi: Karnataka Congress MLA DK Shivakumar has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in money laundering case. He continued to be grilled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi for the fourth consecutive day in the unaccounted cash case, in Bengaluru. Sources say that he has been held for non-cooperation in investigation. He has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A few days ago, Congress MLC CM Lingappa had said that the incumbent national president of the BJP Amit Shah had called him up during the time when Shivakumar was taking care of a few Gujarat MLAs at a resort near Bengaluru. The MLC had also added that Amit Shah had asked Shivakumar to let go of 3 Congress MLAs, but he did not accede to Shah’s request. 

Also read: Did Amit Shah call up Shivakumar to let go of 3 Congress MLAs? Karnataka DyCM rubbishes allegations

The MLC had gone to the extent of saying that the present episode of Shivakumar being grilled by the ED was only an act of vengefulness by Amit Shah. 

Today (September 3), one of the deputy chief ministers of Karnataka Govind Karjol dismissed the claims by Lingappa. 

He said, “There is no need to honour such statements. Some people speak in order to get political mileage in a particular context. All these claims are nothing else but baseless.” 

On September 2, Shivakumar had rued that his “BJP friends” had not allowed him to celebrate Ganesha festival with his family members back in Bengaluru. 

Also read: Kumaraswamy slams Enforcement Directorate for summoning Shivakumar on Ganesh Chaturthi

Recently, the Karnataka high court refused to stay the fresh summons issued by the ED on August 29. Though a battery of lawyers argued in favour of Shivakumar, the judge ruled against them, much to the gloom of the Congressman in question. 

Shivakumar finds himself in a tight spot after unaccounted cash of Rs 8.5 crore was recovered from his residences in New Delhi. A case was filed in this regard and the Enforcement Directorate had been interrogating him in this regard. 

In the event of Shivakumar’s arrest, his lawyer has to approach the high court or the Supreme Court for a bail. 

Also read: CBI arrests Chidambaram at residence after Congress leader emerges

On August 21, former Union minister P Chidambaram was arrested by officials and reportedly transported to CBI headquarters.