DK Shivakumar's mother, wife summoned by ED

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday summoned former Karnataka Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s wife and mother for questioning in connection with a money laundering case against the Congress leader.

“We have summoned over 50 people in connection with the case for questioning. We have called Shivakumar’s wife and mother on October 17 in New Delhi,” a senior ED official was quoted speaking to IANS.

Earlier, the ED has questioned Shivakumar’s daughter Aishwarya, his brother and MP D.K. Suresh and Belagavi Rural MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar.

Shivakumar, arrested in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED, has approached the high court challenging the trial court’s order denying him bail.

The ED had, in September last year, registered the money-laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at the Karnataka Bhavan here, and others.

The case was based on a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income-Tax department against them before a special court in Bengaluru last year, alleging tax evasion and “hawala” transactions worth crores of 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.