The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 in connection with a money laundering case. The court, however, asked the Congress leader not to leave the country without its permission.
Shivakumar, 57, was arrested by the ED on September 3 in the money laundering case. He is lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody. He has challenged the trial court's order denying him bail in the case.
Justice Suresh Kait had reserved the order on October 17 on the leader's bail plea in which he claimed that the case was a result of political rivalry and there was not enough evidence against him.
The ED had opposed his bail plea saying he was an influential person and, if released, he could tamper with evidence and influence witnesses.
Shivakumar, a seven-time MLA in Karnataka, was booked along with Haumanthaiah—an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi—and others for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case was based on a charge sheet 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 or 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.
