Kin not spared, D K Shivakumar\'s daughter summoned by ED
Bengaluru: After arresting Congress strongman and former minister D.K. Shivakumar in a money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now brought his family members under its scanner and served summons to his 22 –year- old daughter, Aishwarya on Tuesday asking her to appear before its officers in Delhi on September 12 .
The ED is reportedly looking into allegations that the former minister has invested huge money in his daughter’s name. Mr Shivakumar had admitted in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission in the run-up to the 2018 assembly elections that his daughter, Aishwarya, owned properties worth Rs 108 crore.
The Income Tax department too has claimed in the past that Mr. Shivakumar's daughter had travelled to Singapore in connection with his financial investments there, which, it said, were a part of his ‘unaccounted wealth’ of over Rs 429 crore. On Tuesday, ED officers visited Mr Shivakumar’s home in Sadashivanagar to hand over the summons, according to sources.
The ED appears to be tightening the noose around Mr Shivakumar even as the federation of Vokkaliga associations has planned a rally on Wednesday against his arrest, which the JD(S) has claimed is part of the Centre's strategy to target the community’s leaders. The latest summons couldn't have come at a worse time for Mr Shivakumar as his review petition against the single judge order that failed to restrain ED from arresting him, is coming up before the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday. His bail petition too is coming up for hearing before the Delhi ED designated court on Friday. The Congress leader’s lawyers are reportedly worried that the ED may seek his custody for four more days when its present 10 day custody ends on Friday. The directorate is said to have asked for a CBI inquiry into his alleged disproportionate assets. The arrested Congress leader, however, exuded confidence that he will emerge victorious, both legally and politically. He thanked party leaders and supporters for standing by him and urged them to hold a peaceful protest in Bengaluru on Wednesday and not cause any inconvenience to people. “I would like to reiterate that I have done nothing wrong & am a target of vendetta politics. With the support and blessings that I am receiving from all of you, and my belief in God and our judiciary, I have faith that I will emerge victorious legally and politically,” Shivakumar tweeted. AICC president Sonia Gandhi met Mr Shivakumar's brother and MP D.K. Suresh and inquired about his health, while offering support.