Will seek more time: DKS on Delhi Police summons
Karnataka's Deputy CM DK Shivakumar seeks more time from Delhi Police to address the National Herald case, planning to appear after December 19.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said that he will seek additional time from the Delhi Police to appear before investigators in connection with the National Herald case, stating that he plans to do so after the current winter session of the Karnataka legislature concludes on December 19.
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, said he would also ask the police for a copy of the first information report, noting that he has so far learned about its contents only through media reports.
“I had to go, but I have to go back urgently. I am asking them for time, stating that I will come next week,” Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
He had earlier indicated that he would appear before the Delhi Police on Monday but postponed the visit to return to Karnataka to attend the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, which were held later in the day in Davanagere.
Shivashankarappa died at the age of 94 on Sunday.
“They have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need a FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I do not know what the FIR says, I only read it in the papers,” Shivakumar said.
“They have given notice, so I will ask for a copy of the FIR . I will come next week after the Assembly session,” added the deputy chief minister.
The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing has issued a notice to Shivakumar seeking financial and transactional details as part of its investigation into the National Herald case, which was registered on October 3 against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
According to the notice dated November 29, the EOW said Shivakumar is “supposed to be having vital information” related to the case and asked him to either appear before investigators or provide the requested information by December 19.
Officials have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party and a detailed account of funds that he or entities linked to him are alleged to have transferred to Young Indian.
Shivakumar is currently in the national capital, where he attended the Congress party’s “Vote Chori” rally on Sunday and participated in a lunch hosted for party leaders.
Asked whether his Delhi visit included meetings with senior leaders amid speculation of internal power dynamics in Karnataka, he said such interactions were routine within the party.
“Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday, I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What’s wrong?” he said.
He added that he and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge would be travelling together to Karnataka to pay their last respects to Shivashankarappa.
On whether he would seek a separate meeting with the party leadership during his next visit to Delhi, Shivakumar said, “Such things will be there between us in the party, you do not worry.”
(With PTI inputs)
