Another raid? CBI sleuths spotted near DK Shivakumar house in New Delhi

Bengaluru: Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were spotted near former Congress minister D.K. Shivakumar's residence at Safdarjung in New Delhi on Monday, fueling speculation about a raid on his home by the investigating agency.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had recently registered an FIR against Mr Shivakumar in a case relating to power purchase when he was energy minister, allocation of solar power generation permits, exchange of currency during demonetisation and his role and interest in Harsha Sugar Limited owned by Congress MLA, Laxmi Hebbalkar.

Eyebrows were raised when the state government signed the Central Bureau of Investigation requisition for investigating the Congress leader on these issues within a couple of hours of receiving its letter as usually such requisitions are placed before the cabinet and the home ministry gives the neccessary consent.

Sources close to the former minister, who is already under investigation by the Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate for alleged financial irregularities, claim the Central Bureau of Investigation is closing in on him should he get bail in the ED case.

Mr Shivakumar’s judicial custody will come to an end on October 25 and the New Delhi High Court is expected to give its order on his bail petition before it does. If Mr Shivakumar gets bail, the Central Bureau of Investigation plans to pick him up, according to sources.