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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Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 10: Police on Tuesday allegedly resorted to lathi-charge as the protests by the Panchamasali Lingayats turned violent.
The protestors breached the barricade laid by the police to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha where the Karnataka Legislative session is in progress.
The agitation was led by Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami who has been demanding the inclusion of Panchamasali community in the 2A category, which will get them 15 per cent reservation in government jobs and admission in government institutions. Presently, the community is in the 3B category getting five per cent reservation.
The angry agitators damaged government vehicles and also the ones belonging to the MLAs and the MLCs.
ALSO READ: Panchamasali seer upset over restrictions on protests in Belagavi
Seeing the situation going out of hand, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, R Hitendra, ordered lathi-charge.
As the police beat up all those who came on their way, the agitators ran helter-skelter. Several protestors were injured and were later shifted to the hospital.
The police took many demonstrators under preventive custody.
#WATCH | Karnataka: A large number of people gathered in Belagavi to demonstrate over Panchamasali Lingayats' reservation demand under 2A category. Police used mild force to disperse them. pic.twitter.com/2YLTGdpkbm
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2024