K’taka HC extends stay on CBI proceedings against Congress chief D K Shivakumar till April 6

The High Court of Karnataka has extended the stay on proceedings against state Congress chief D K Shivakumar in the disproportionate assets case being probed by the CBI till April 6.

The interim stay was extended on Friday by the single judge bench of Justice K Natarajan, which heard the petition by the Congress leader seeking to quash the proceedings against him.

The court also granted time till April 6 for the state government to file objections to another petition filed by Shivakumar challenging the sanction granted to prosecute him and adjourned the hearing.

The CBI had registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2020 after the state government gave consent for a probe.

During Friday’s hearing, the CBI advocate mentioned that the court had stayed the proceedings against Shivakumar and the central agency has filed an application seeking to vacate the stay which should be considered.

The government counsel informed the court that since the date for the Assembly election has been announced, more time was required to file objections to Shivakumar’s petition against the government’s sanction to the CBI to prosecute him. Four weeks time was sought by the government advocate.

The court, however, pointed out that while the CBI was seeking early hearing, the government was seeking more time. The case was adjourned to April 6 and the government was directed to file its objections by then.