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): The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside an order of the Manipur High Court directing the CBI to locate and produce a rape convict on the run.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh relieved the agency of the task saying the order passed by the high court was unnecessary.

"We find that request made by the CBI is genuine, particularly when the state has constituted a special team in order to trace the convict. Therefore, we find that directions issued by high court to CBI was unnecessary. Therefore, the directions are set aside. However, it is necessary to observe that state will make all endeavours to trace the convict," the bench said.

If in that regard, a request was made by the Manipur government to the Home Ministry, the Centre may ensure all assistance as required, the bench added.

Challenging the October 4, 2023 order of the high court, the CBI contended before the top court that the Manipur police was already looking into the matter and any interference would be duplication of efforts.

The CBI submitted before the high court that the direction would be difficult to be comply with, but said its submission wasn't accepted.

On January 10, the high court reiterated its direction to the CBI to locate the absconding convict within eight weeks.

Special judge POCSO Imphal West Maibam Manojkumar convicted Timothy L Changsang, administrator of North Eastern Children Home, Rengkai village Churachandpur, under Sections 6 and 10 of POCSO Act and under Section 506 of the IPC on April 30, 2019, and issued a non-bailable warrant to arrest him.

Timothy was charged with raping 14 minor girls for over two years since 2012, at a children home he ran. The incident came to light in February, 2015, after a minor girl inmate, lodged a complaint with the police.