Bengaluru: Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday slammed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for 'refusing' to allow a plea by senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar for exempting him from appearance before it on Monday in view of Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
Kumaraswamy, a Vokkaliga like Shivakumar, termed as "vindictive" the ED's action in summoning Shivakumar to appear before it on a festival day. Shivakumar had appeared before the ED in New Delhi on Saturday for the second straight day in the money laundering case filed against him and others.
According to him, the ED has asked him to appear again on Monday.
“Gowri Ganesha is an important festival for Hindus. Mr D.K. Shivakumar had asked for a day to celebrate the festival. However, ED officials denied him even this. If this is not vindictive attitude, then what is?” Kumaraswamy tweeted.
Shivakumar was a Minister in Kumaraswamy government. After a day-long questioning on Saturday, the former minister while speaking to reporters in Delhi had said that according to his family traditions, they offer prayers to ancestors on the day of the festival. “We requested stating that I have to offer my respect to elders of the family on the day of the festival. They said no and have issued me summons to appear at 11 am (on Monday) I have happily accepted it,” he had said.
On Friday, the investigating officer of the case had grilled Shivakumar for over 4 hours and recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
