SC adjourns hearing on CBI plea against DK Shivakumar in disproportionate assets case to July 14

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned to July 14 the hearing on CBI’s plea that challenged a Karnataka High Court order granting an interim stay on the probe into a disproportionate assets case against Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sanjay Karol deferred the matter after senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Shivakumar, said the matter is coming up before the high court on May 23.

The Karnataka High Court had on February 10 stayed the Central Bureau of Investigation’s proceedings in a corruption case against Shivakumar. The stay was later further extended on different dates.

The Income Tax Department had in 2017 conducted a raid against Shivakumar, on the basis of which, the Enforcement Directorate started its probe against him.

Following the ED investigation, the CBI later sought sanction from the state government to file an FIR against him.

The sanction came on September 25, 2019, and on October 3, 2020, Shivakumar was booked by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Shivakumar had approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the sanction and proceedings against him, alleging that the CBI was applying mental pressure on him ahead of the upcoming assembly elections by repeatedly issuing notices to him, even though the case dates back to 2020.