In ED probe, notices to DK Shivakumar’s wife, mother to appear before it

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued notices to the wife and mother of senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who was arrested by the agency last month in a money laundering case, to appear before the agency separately for questioning. The mother has been asked to appear tomorrow and the Congress leader’s wife has been asked to come on October 17.

Shivakumar’s wife Usha Shivakumar and his mother Gowramma Kempe Gowda have been asked to explain the sources of their income, considering the huge growth in their assets.

“We have issued summons to them to record their statements under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). We are also investigating several of (Shivakumar’s) family members and business associates,” a senior ED official told HT.

Earlier in September, Shivakumar’s 22-year-old daughter Aishwarya was questioned by the ED.

The 22-year-old management graduate’s statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and she was confronted with some documents and statements made by her father in ED custody, said an official.

DK Shivakumar was arrested by the ED on September 3 in a money laundering case based on a complaint filed by the Income Tax department in September 2018 alleging hawla transactions and tax evasion.

An I-T raid on his New Delhi residence on August 2, 2017 had led to unaccounted cash of ₹8.82 crore being seized. For 14 days till September 17th, Shivakumar was in ED’s custody before a court sent him to judicial custody in Tihar jail where he is currently lodged.

The ED has already questioned his brother, D K Suresh who is the Member of Parliament from Bengaluru Rural, apart from his daughter Aishwarya as well as Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar with whom Shivakumar is said to have had business relations.

Suresh confirmed that his mother too had received summons from the ED.

“Since she is old and has been asked to come to Delhi (for providing information) tomorrow itself, I don’t know whether she will be able to come. We will discuss with our lawyers on our next course of action,” said DK Suresh.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Monday adjourned the bail plea of Shivakumar to Tuesday.