ED chargesheet: Political weapons against me ahead of Assembly polls, says D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru(PTI): With Enforcement Directorate (ED) filing a chargesheet under the anti-money laundering law against him and others, Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar on Thursday alleged that all "political weapons" are being used against him, ahead of 2023 assembly polls in the state.
He claimed that the chargesheet is "part of a plan to eliminate people, whom the ruling dispensation fear may create trouble for them politically or don't surrender to them", adding that he is ready to "face everything".
"I have got to know that some national channels are reporting that they (ED) have filed a chargesheet. They have submitted it to the court, we have not been given a copy yet. The court will give us the copy. Usually it has to be filed within 60 days from the day I was jailed, but they have filed it after 3-3.5 years after large scale investigation," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said he has belief in the law of the land and will abide by it.
"Let the chargesheet come, they can't create any new things. However, the Income Tax department had created new things (against me earlier), going against the law and Supreme Court judgements," he added.
The federal probe agency in September 2018 registered a money laundering case against Shivakumar, A Haumanthaiah, an employee at the Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and other people.
The case was based on an Income Tax Department chargesheet filed against Shivakumar and others before a court in Bengaluru for alleged tax evasion and hawala dealings.
Further claiming that the "people of the country know that he has not done anything wrong" and that he had earlier stated that there were political motives behind the case, the KPCC chief recalled that during late Congress leader Ahmed Patel's election to Rajya Sabha his house was raided and money belonging to his friends were reported as his.
"Let them do anything. In politics, they don't leave their party (BJP) people, will they leave our party ones....things are going on," he said.
The I-T department had accused Shivakumar and his associate S K Sharma of transporting huge amount of unaccounted cash on a regular basis through 'hawala' channels with the help of three other accused.
Shivakumar, 60, was arrested by the ED in this case in 2019, and a number of people and associates, including his daughter Aisshwarya and Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar, were questioned by the agency.
The Congress leader, a former cabinet minister of Karnataka, Shivakumar is currently out on bail in the money laundering case.
Alleging that all the political weapons are being used ahead of assembly polls next year, Shivakumar claimed BJP Ministers, MLAs and senior leaders had said "certain things and accordingly things are happening now".
"They (BJP leaders) have become courts, judges, police and investigation officers, let them do whatever they want," he said, when questioned whether he fears that he will be jailed once again.
Noting that within 60 days of being jailed an interim chargesheet has to be filed, Shivakumar said he got bail before that. There were attempts to cancel his bail, but the Supreme Court rejected it; now the charge sheet has been filed and he expects notice to be served soon, he added.
"Naturally we have to face it and we will face it. We are law abiding citizens. We know that law has been taken for a ride, misused, there is a lot of pressure, but still we will face it," he said.
Shivakumar averred that there exists a system under which the ruling dispensation "eliminates people, whom they fear may create trouble for them politically".
"Either you should go with them or surrender to them or else such people are eliminated, they are in that process now. I wish them all the best," he added.
Shivakumar's brother and Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh said based on the chargesheet and after going through it, they will fight it out legally.
Observing that they are yet to go through the chargesheet, in response to a question whether an attempt is on to jail Shivakumar ahead of assembly polls, he said, "We are ready for everything. Shivakumar has fought for the people of the state as a Congress soldier...we will abide by law and respond within the framework of law." There has been conspiracy after BJP coming to power against those who oppose it and this may be part of it, he added.
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CJI calls for 'unified judicial policy', use of technology to converge practices across courts
Jaisalmer (PTI): Pushing for a "unified judicial policy", Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said technology can help align standards and practices across courts, creating a "seamless experience" for citizens, regardless of their location.
He said high courts -- due to the federal structure -- have had their own practices and technological capacities, and "regional barriers" can be broken down with technology to create a more unified judicial ecosystem.
Delivering the keynote address at the West Zone Regional Conference in Jaisalmer, Kant proposed the idea of a "national judicial ecosystem" and called for an overhaul of India's judicial system with the integration of technology.
"Today, as technology reduces geographical barriers and enables convergence, it invites us to think of justice not as regional systems operating in parallel, but as one national ecosystem with shared standards, seamless interfaces, and coordinated goals," he said.
He emphasised how the role of technology in the judiciary has evolved over time.
"Technology is no longer merely an administrative convenience. It has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and enhances institutional efficiency," he said, highlighting how digital tools can bridge gaps in the judicial system.
Kant pointed out that technology enables the judiciary to overcome the limitations of physical distance and bureaucratic hurdles.
"It allows the judiciary to transcend physical barriers and bureaucratic rigidities to deliver outcomes that are timely, transparent and principled," he said, adding that the effective use of technology can modernise the delivery of justice and make it more accessible to citizens across the country.
The CJI called for implementing a "unified judicial policy".
He said India's judicial system has long been shaped by its federal structure, and different high courts have their own practices and technological capacities.
"India's vast diversity has led to different high courts evolving their own practices, administrative priorities and technological capacities. This variation, though natural in a federal democracy, has resulted in uneven experiences for litigants across the country," he said.
Kant underscored that predictability is crucial for building trust in the judicial system.
"A core expectation citizens place upon the courts is predictability," he said, adding that citizens should not only expect fair treatment but also consistency in how cases are handled across the country.
He pointed to the potential of technology in improving predictability.
"Technology enables us to track systemic delays and make problems visible rather than concealed," he said.
By identifying areas where delays occur, such as in bail matters or cases involving certain types of disputes, courts can take targeted action to address these issues and improve efficiency, Kant said.
The CJI explained that data-driven tools could identify the reasons behind delays or bottlenecks, allowing for faster, more focused solutions.
"Technology enables prioritisation by flagging sensitive case categories, monitoring pendency in real time and ensuring transparent listing protocols," he said.
Justice Surya Kant also discussed the importance of prioritising urgent cases where delays could result in significant harm. He highlighted his recent administrative order that ensures urgent cases, such as bail petitions or habeas corpus cases, are listed within two days of curing defects.
"Where delay causes deep harm, the system must respond with urgency," he stated, explaining that technology can help courts identify and expedite such cases.
Kant also raised the issue of the clarity of judicial decisions.
He noted that many litigants, despite winning cases, often struggle to understand the terms of their judgment due to complex legal language.
"Although the orders had gone in their favour, they remained unsure of what relief they had actually secured because the language was too technical, vague or evasive to understand," he said.
He advocated for more uniformity in how judgments are written.
"A unified judicial approach must therefore extend to how we communicate outcomes," he said.
The CJI also discussed the role of AI and digital tools in improving case management. He pointed to the potential of AI-based research assistants and digital case management systems to streamline judicial processes.
"Emerging technological tools are now capable of performing once-unthinkable functions. They can highlight missing precedent references, cluster similar legal questions, and simplify factual narration," he said, explaining how these technologies can help judges make more consistent decisions.
He also highlighted tools like the National Judicial Data Grid and e-courts, which are already helping to standardise processes like case filings and tracking.
Kant reiterated that the integration of technology into the judicial process is not just about improving efficiency but about upholding the integrity of the system and strengthening public trust.
"The measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served," he said.
