Shivakumar refrains from commenting on Cabinet move to withdraw approval for CBI probe against him
Bengaluru (PTI): Refraining from offering a direct comment, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has seen media reports about the state cabinet holding the view that the sanction given by the previous BJP government to the CBI to investigate a disproportionate assets case against him was "not in accordance with law."
Shivakumar, also Karnataka Congress chief, stayed away from Thursday's Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The Congress government is now expected to issue an order withdrawing the consent given to the CBI in the case.
"I saw in the paper (newspaper), I could not attend (the cabinet meeting) yesterday. Whoever has to speak on it will speak," Shivakumar told reporters here.
Noting that he was going to Telangana for two days for the election campaign there, he said, "if the party asks me to extend (campaigning), I will have to."
The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday adjourned to November 29 the hearing of the appeal filed by Shivakumar against the sanction accorded by the previous government to the CBI to prosecute him in a disproportionate assets case.
The CBI informed the High Court on November 15 that the Supreme Court has directed the HC to hear the application filed by the investigating agency seeking vacation of stay granted on the appeal, preferably within two weeks.
A single judge bench had earlier dismissed Shivakumar's petition challenging the sanction of September 25, 2019 granted by the government to prosecute him.
Shivakumar then challenged it before the division bench which had stayed the single judge order. The CBI had filed an application for vacation of this stay.
Based on the Income Tax Department's search operations at Shivakumar's home and offices in 2017, the Enforcement Directorate started its own probe against him. Based on the ED investigation, the CBI sought sanction from the state government to register a case against him.
The state government had given the sanction on September 25, 2019. The CBI had registered an FIR against him on October 3, 2020.
The CBI has claimed that Shivakumar amassed wealth to the tune of Rs 74.93 crore, disproportionate to known sources of his income from April 1, 2013 to April 30, 2018, when he was the Energy Minister in the then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government (2013-2018).
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Cong claims TVK chief Vijay has sought its support for govt formation in Tamil Nadu
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday claimed that TVK chief Vijay has sought its support for government formation in Tamil Nadu and its leadership has directed the state unit to take a final decision on the matter, keeping in view the state's sentiments.
The party, which fought the assembly election in alliance with the DMK, asserted that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government and that it is determined "not to have the BJP and its proxies run the government of Tamil Nadu in any manner".
Top Congress leaders held a meeting at party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Tuesday evening that was attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar, among others.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal said the Congress leadership discussed the post-election scenario in Tamil Nadu.
"TVK President Thiru Vijay has requested the Indian National Congress for support to form a Government in Tamil Nadu. He has spoken about drawing inspiration from Perumthalaivar Kamaraj as well, in his political mission.
"The INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government that is committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit. The INC is determined not to have the BJP and its proxies run the Government of Tamil Nadu in any manner," he said.
"Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision on Thiru Vijay's request, keeping in view the sentiments of the state reflected in the electoral verdict," Venugopal told reporters.
Vijay's TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, falling short of the halfway mark. He needs the support of 10 MLAs to form a government with a simple majority. The results were declared only on Monday.
The Congress has won five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has bagged four seats. The CPI and CPI-M have two seats each.
On the other hand, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has won 59 seats while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has won 47 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won only one seat and so have the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK), while the VCK has won two seats.
The Congress had fought the assembly polls in a pre-poll alliance with the DMK, while the BJP had a tie-up with the AIADMK.
