Not aware of ED chargesheet's contents, says Karnataka Cong chief DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar, who is slated to appear before a Delhi court later this week in connection with a money laundering case, on Tuesday said he is not aware about the contents of Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge sheet against him and is yet to receive a copy of it.

Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar, who is slated to appear before a Delhi court later this week in connection with a money laundering case, on Tuesday said he is not aware about the contents of Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge sheet against him and is yet to receive a copy of it. A Delhi court last month summoned him and others in a money laundering case registered against him in 2018.

KPCC President DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru. (ANI Photo/ ANI Pic Service) (ANI)

Special Judge Vikas Dhull had directed Shivakumar to appear on July 1, taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the ED through its Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana against him and others in the case. "They (ED) should have filed a charge sheet three years ago, at least within five to six months after I was released from jail (Oct, 2019 from Tihar jail in Delhi), now they have done it and I have got a summons for July 1, I will attend the procedures," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.

To a question that the charge sheet reportedly states Shivakumar influenced the other accused to conspire and protect him, the KPCC chief said, "I'm not aware, I have not yet got the copy (of charge sheet)...they might have said anything, but I'm still not aware what is there in the charge sheet. I have applied for the copy. I have not got it yet."

The case is based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against Shivakumar and others before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and 'hawala' transactions worth crores of rupees. Shivakumar had recently said that he has no 'hawala money', and the court will decide on the case.