Shivakumar walks out of Tihar Jail after getting bail

New Delhi, October 23 

Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar was released from Tihar Jail on Wednesday evening following the Delhi High Court order granting him bail in a money laundering case, filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying he cannot tamper with the evidence or influence witnesses.

Justice Suresh Kait said the Congress leader was “entitled” for grant of bail as no material has been shown to indicate that he was a flight risk. The Judge also said that Shivakumar, 57, cannot tamper with the evidence as the documents are with the investigating agencies.

After the court order was received in the evening, he was released following a medical check-up and other formalities at 9.15 pm, a jail official said. Shivakumar was arrested by the ED on September 3 in the money laundering case. He was lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody and had challenged the trial court's order denying him bail in the case.

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. — PTI