Chidambaram moves for bail in INX Media case
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Congress leader and former Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case.
The high court granted bail to Shivakumar asking him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 25 lakh and two sureties of like amount each. The court directed him not to leave the country without permission.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested the former Karnataka minister on September 3.
Shivakumar has been on the radar of the Income Tax Department and the ED since demonetisation in 2016. An Income Tax search at his New Delhi flat on August 2, 2017, led to the seizure of unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 8.83 crore.
Thereafter, the Tax Department lodged cases against the Congress leader and his four associates under Sections 277 and 278 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and Sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 193 (Punishment for false evidence) and 199 (False statements made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Incidentally, according to Shivakumar’s affidavit submitted to the Election Commission ahead of the Assembly elections in 2018, his daughter Aisshwarya owned assets of Rs 108 crore compared to only Rs 1.09 crore in 2013.
Shivakumar, however, clarified that Aisshwarya was not dependent on his income and that he was still declaring her assets as per the Representation of Peoples Act.
Meanwhile, Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking bail in the INX media money laundering case.
The 74-year-old Chidambaram, who was on Tuesday granted bail by the Supreme Court in the INX media corruption case, is in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) custody till October 24.
The CBI on October 18 filed its charge sheet naming Chidambaram and several others as accused in the INX media corruption case. The trial court took cognisance of the charge sheet on October 21 and subsequently, on October 22, the apex court granted him regular bail in the matter.
The senior Congress leader has sought bail in the money laundering case, saying the apex court has held that he is neither a “flight risk” nor is there a possibility of “his absconding from the trial”.
He has claimed in his application that he “has made no attempt to suborn witnesses, tamper with documentary evidence or in any other manner pollute or obstruct the judicial process”.
The plea further claims that Chidambaram was always available for questioning by the ED and had appeared before the agency and answered all questions on all the four dates he was summoned, the last being February 8.
The application has also contended that Chidambaram’s health condition is “fragile” as he is 74-years-old and suffers from various ailments, including coronary artery disease. (PTI)