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.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed that Eknath Shinde had to take oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister because the BJP's top brass planned to go ahead with the new government's swearing-in if he continued being "stubborn".

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said the state government did not have a full cabinet so far despite the Mahayuti getting a thumping majority indicates that not everything is well within the alliance.

He said it took as many as 15 days for the BJP to form the government in Maharashtra despite having a massive mandate.

"Eknath Shinde had to take oath as deputy chief minister. BJP had planned to go ahead with the swearing-in ceremony without Eknath Shinde. Had he maintained the stubborn attitude to pressure the BJP, its brass had informed (the state leadership) to go ahead without him," Raut claimed.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister of the state for the third time in a grand ceremony held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Thursday evening. Former chief minister Ekanth Shinde and Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief ministers. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers and chief ministers of NDA-ruled states.

Shinde was earlier unwilling to serve as the deputy CM, but joined after insistence from the BJP and his party MLAs. He had maintained silence whether he would be part of the new government or not. It was only a few hours before the swearing-in ceremony that a Shiv Sena MLA confirmed that Shinde would take oath as the deputy CM.

Raut accused the BJP of indulging in "politics of vengeance" in the state by using central agencies.

In a veiled attack on Shinde, the Sena (UBT) MP also said that some faces were not happy during the swearing-in ceremony. "The same faces were glum when Uddhav Thackeray took oath as chief minister in 2019," he said.