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, Dec 10: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Yadav, who made controversial remarks at a VHP function, has violated his oath of office by making a "hate speech" and asserted that he along with other opposition MPs will submit a notice to bring a motion to impeach the judge.
Sources said opposition MPs are likely to submit the notice in the next few days.
The judge made the remarks on Sunday while addressing a provincial convention of the Legal Cell and High Court Unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad in the Allahabad High Court.
A day later, videos of the judge speaking on provocative issues, including the law working according to the majority, were circulated widely, triggering a strong reaction from various opposition parties that questioned his reported statements and labelled them hate speech.
"Any judge who makes such a statement is violating his oath of office. If he is violating the oath of office he has no right to sit on that chair," Sibal said at a press conference.
"If a high court judge can make a speech like this then the question arises how do such people get appointed in the first place. The question also arises how do they get the courage to make such remarks. Question also arises why these things are happening in the last 10 years," the senior advocate said.
Sibal said the Supreme Court has the power to stop such people from sitting on that chair and till then it should be ensured that no case comes before him.
The Rajya Sabha MP's remarks made before the Supreme Court on Tuesday called for details from the Allahabad High Court after taking note of news reports of the speech of Justice Yadav, a sitting high court judge, delivered at a VHP function.
"I have spoken to some fellow leaders Digvijaya Singh (Congress), Vivek Tankha (Congress), Manoj Jha (RJD), Javed Ali (SP), and John Brittas (CPI(M), we will soon meet and we will bring an impeachment motion against the judge. There is no other way. This is hate speech in every sense of the word," Sibal said.
Veteran lawyer Sibal had read out the impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in 2018 and had also defended Supreme Court judge V. Ramaswami in 1993 when he faced an impeachment motion over charges of financial impropriety.