Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday wondered why the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a notice to a Kerala-based TV channel seeking details of investments made by him and his family members, even after the Karnataka government had withdrawn sanction given to the CBI to probe the disproportionate assets (DA) case against him.
While the DA case has been handed over to the Karnataka Lokayukta following the Karnataka cabinet nod to withdraw the sanction given to the CBI by the previous BJP government, the Bengaluru unit of the CBI has issued a notice to Jaihind TV (Jaihind Communications Pvt Ltd) seeking details of investments by D.K. Shivakumar’s family in the channel and has also summoned its MD B.S. Shiju to the Bengaluru office on January 11.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief said, “The BJP leaders are trying to finish me politically. Persecution continues despite the permission granted to the CBI to probe the DA case has been withdrawn by the Karnataka government. The CBI has issued notices to several people and organisations including a cooperative society headed by me. I don't understand what their objective is. But it appears they are hatching a conspiracy to create troubles for me and the party."
"The CBI inquiry was transferred to the Lokayukta after the High Court approved the government order revoking the sanction given to the CBI. Yet, the agency is issuing fresh notices. They already have all the documents and my legal understanding is that those documents need to be handed over to the Lokayukta," he added.
It may be recalled that the Yediyurappa-led BJP government had granted the sanction to the CBI to file an FIR against Shivakumar (based on the Income Tax raids and Enforcement Directorate probe) and investigate a Rs 74 crore corruption case. Shivakumar sought the quashing of the FIR in the High Court. However, on November 28, 2023, the Congress government which came to power after May 2023 Assembly polls, withdrew the sanction given to the CBI.
BJP MLA from Vijayapura, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, filed an intervening application in the Karnataka High Court opposing the decision taken by the Congress government to revoke the sanction. The petition stated that the “impugned order is highly illegal and not even worth the paper on which it is printed because such executive order is directly in conflict with law of the land as declared by apex court”. The court observed that if at all the state’s decision had to be challenged, it should be done in independent proceedings.
Once again, Yatnal filed a public interest litigation (PIL) questioning the revoking of the sanction and cited the Supreme Court order on the 1994 Kazi Lhendup Dorji case and claimed once the government had given the CBI sanction to probe, the agency must be allowed to complete its investigation.
Shivakumar alleged that the CBI had not even completed 10 per cent of the probe. “I had given all documents to CBI. But, they did not complete even 10 per cent of the investigation but told the court that 90 per cent of the probe was complete. If they are determined to put me behind bars, let them do so, I am ready,” said Shivakumar adding that the development was part of the BJP’s “revenge” for helping (late) Ahmed Patel’s election to the Rajya Sabha.
“They are taking revenge for my contribution to the election of Ahmed Patel to Rajya Sabha. Ahmed Patel is not alive today but they continue to torture me. I know who is behind this but I will fight this out legally," he said.
