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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Moradabad (UP)(PTI): Protests broke out in the posh TDI society here allegedly over a house being sold to a Muslim doctor by a resident. Slogans were raised by the members of the housing society after they came to know that one Dr Ashok Bajaj had sold his house to Dr Ikra Chaudhary.

Residents mounted a demonstration at the colony gate holding banners 'Dr Ashok Bajaj Apna Makan Wapas lo' (take your house back). 

Both, the buyer and the seller, were not available for comments.

"This is a Hindu society, where over 400 Hindu families live. We don't want anyone from the other communities to reside here," a protester said, adding that the house is near a temple.

TDI City Society chairman Amit Verma also joined the protesters. One of the residents feared the ownership may change the nature of the colony.

"We fear that there will be a disturbance in the demographic structure of the society and unwanted changes might occur if other communities start to settle there and Hindus start to leave," the person said.

District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Singh said the society members have filed a complaint, raising objection over selling of the house.

"We are talking to concerned parties and trying for a unanimous, amicable solution to it," he said.