HC blasts ED on law officer's absence in Shivakumar case, says agency can't play 'hide and seek'
New Delhi, Oct 17: The Delhi High Court Thursday commenced hearing on the bail plea of Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar, arrested by the ED in a money laundering case, after the senior law officer apologised for his absence.
The hearing commenced after Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj appeared in the court, minutes after the high court castigated the Enforcement Directorate for non-availability of the law officer.
The ASG apologized to Justice Suresh Kait, who had blasted one of the ED lawyers seeking accommodation for 30 minutes on the ground that the law officer was busy in Rouse Avenue district court.
"You cannot play hide and seek with the court," Justice Kait said, adding, "This is not acceptable. Court is not supposed to wait."
When the ASG had not appeared, the high court had reserved its order on Shivakumar's plea seeking bail and had asked the ED's counsel to file their written submissions by noon of October 19.
However, after the ASG apologised, it agreed to hear the matter.
Shivakumar, a seven-time MLA in Karnataka, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 3 for the alleged offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The 57-year old Congress leader is presently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody.
He has approached the high court challenging a trial court's order denying him bail in the case.
The ED had in September last year registered the money laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah -- an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others.
The case was based on a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income Tax Department against them last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and 'hawala' transactions worth crores of rupees.
The I-T department has accused Shivakumar and his alleged associate S K Sharma of indulging in transactions involving huge amounts of unaccounted money on a regular basis through 'hawala' channels with the help of three other accused.
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.
Four passengers arrested at BLR airport with hydroponic ganja worth over Rs 21.5 crore
Bengaluru (PTI): Four passengers who arrived from Bangkok at Kempegowda International Airport here were arrested with hydroponic ganja valued at over Rs 21.5 crore in two separate cases, officials said on Saturday.
They were intercepted at Terminal 2 of the airport on May 1, they added.
In the first case, Bengaluru Customs said in a post on ‘X’ that three passengers arriving from Bangkok were intercepted, and 52.68 kg of hydroponic ganja, valued at Rs 18.43 crore, was seized from their baggage.
In a separate case on the same day, another passenger arriving from Bangkok was intercepted, and 9 kg of hydroponic ganja, valued at Rs 3.15 crore, was seized from his baggage.
In both cases, the accused, whose identities have not been disclosed, were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, officials added.
