Bengaluru, Oct 23: Former Prime Minister H DDeve Gowda and ex-Chief Ministers H D Kumaraswamy andSiddaramaiah welcomed the Delhi HighCourt order on Wednesday granting bail to Congress leader D K Shivakumar in a money laundering case, filed by the Enforcement Directorate.
As the news about Shivakumar getting bail broke, his supporters and Congress workers celebrated by bursting crackers and distributing sweets in Ramanagara, Belagavi, Tumakuru, Kanakapura, Mandya and near his Bengaluru residence.
"Delhi High Court granting bail to D K Shivakumar has increased common man's trust in country's judicial system. I welcome the court's decision," Gowda tweeted.
Shivakumar, a seven-time MLA, was arrested by the EDon September 3 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
"Getting bail from Delhi high court is happy news," Siddaramaiah told reporters at Bagalkote.
He alleged that Shivakumar was being politically targeted.
"...let them (ED) investigate, but sending to jail duringinvestigation is not right. On proving to be guilty one can besent to jail, but sending while the investigation is still onis not right. Vengeance politics is not right..," he added.
The 57-year-old Shivakumar is under judicial custody and presently lodged in Tihar jail.
Both the Congress and Shivakumar have claimed he was beingtargeted by the BJP-led government at the Centre by "misusing" investigating agencies.
"Delhi High Court granting bail to D K Shivakumar is a matter of happiness. On Monday I had met Shivakumar and tried to boost his courage, and expressed hope about him getting bail," Kumaraswamy tweeted.
The JD(S) leader who met Shivakumar at Tihar jail on Monday had said that the Congress leader was "bold" to fight "vengeance politics".
Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy, both Vokkaliga strong men, have been bitter political opponents in the old Mysuru region,until they came together for the formation of Congress-JD(S) coalition government, after 2018 assembly polls.
Shivakumar was a key minister in the Kumaraswamy cabinet and played a major rule in the stability of the coalition government until it collapsed in July, following resignation of several MLAs of the two parties, eventually leading to installation of the BJP government.
His arrest had lead to widespread protests, especially in Ramanagara, Bengaluru rural, Mandya and other parts of old Mysuru region.
It had even taken a caste colour with thousands of people belonging to the Vokkaliga community taking out a rally recently in Bengaluru protesting the arrest and expressing solidarity with him.
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New Delhi (PTI): In an unusual protest, leaders of several INDIA bloc parties wore black jackets with stickers reading "Modi Adani Ek Hai" and "Adani Safe Hai" on them and raised slogans on the Parliament premises to demand a joint parliamentary probe into the Adani issue.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who put the sticker on his trademark white T-shirt, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot get an investigation done against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani as it would amount to getting a probe done against himself.
Congress MPs including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and lawmakers of several other opposition parties like RJD and the Left participated in the protest.
Both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi demanded that a discussion on the indictment of Adani in a US court on charges of bribery and fraud must take place in Parliament and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must speak in the House on the issue.
The protest took place in front of the steps of Parliament's Makar Dwar and not on the steps leading to it as a Lok Sabha Secretariat advisory and Speaker Om Birla had flagged the issue. A little later, the protesting MPs lined up in front of the Samvidhan Sadan and raised slogans against Modi and Adani there.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Tuesday issued an advisory urging the MPs not to hold protests in front of Parliament gates, saying that such obstruction of movement could affect their safety and security. The opposition MPs had held a protest on the steps of Makar Dwar on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The TMC has stayed away from the protests against Adani. The Congress and some other opposition parties have been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe following the indictment of Adani and other company officials in a US court.
The Congress has said that Adani's indictment "vindicates" its demand for a JPC investigation into the various "scams" involving the billionaire industrialist's conglomerate. Gandhi has sought Adani's immediate arrest. The Adani Group has dismissed all allegations as "baseless".