Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi met D.K. Shivakumar, former Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday to show solidarity. Shivakumar is being detained in Tihar Jail, under the Judicial Custody of Enforcement Department (ED) in relation to a Money Laundering Case.
In September, Sonia Gandhi met P. Chidambaram, Ex-Union Minister, who has been lodged in Tihar jail under the INX Media case. Hence, this would be her second visit to Tihar jail to meet these two leaders. Sonia Gandhi talked with D.K. Shivakumar and instilled confidence in him, party sources said.
Trial Court denied to grant bail in the case, which was challenged by D.K. Shivakumar in Delhi High Court. The plea will be heard on Wednesday.
A few hours before start hearing, Sonia Gandhi met D.K. Shivakumar and instilled that whole party will remain with him, whether he get bail or not. She discussed with him around 30 minutes in Tihar jail, party sources said.
Since the beginning, ED has been arguing that D.K. Shivakumar should not be granted bail as he is an influential person and there may be a possibility of him tampering evidence and frightening witnesses. D.K. Shivakumar was arrested by ED on September 3, since then, his legal battle to get released continues. D.K.Shivakumar along with an employee Hanumanth, Karnataka Bhavan, Sunilkumar Sharma and other associates, is being booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by Enforcement Directorate (ED) soon after being seized un identified money by Income Tax Officials which was kept at his home in Delhi.
D.K. Shivakumar was accused that this money was being used for hawala and for tax evasion. He allegedly wanted to make his black money to white, which would be a serious offence, against National interest.
Ex- Union Minister P. Chidambaram was granted bail on Tuesday, in Supreme Court, in INX Media case. However, he has to remain in jail as he is facing another case, i.e. illegal gratification in the same INX Media case, filed by CBI, in which both P. Chidambaram and his son Karthik Chidambaram are accused.
