Allegations resurface: FIR filed against Karnataka DyCM DK Shivakumar for illegal asset

This move comes as a fresh blow to the Deputy Chief Minister, with a new FIR registered against him in connection with the case. DK Shivakumar, who also serves as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), allegedly illegally acquired the property, according to the FIR lodged by the Lokayukta. The Lokayukta has initiated the process of re-examining the case and has sought relevant documents from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to aid in the investigation. However, as of now, the CBI has not furnished any documents related to the case to the Lokayukta. 

The case dates back to August 2017, during a period of political turmoil in Gujarat, when Shivakumar played a pivotal role in accommodating 42 Congress MLAs at the Eagleton Resort near Bengaluru. It was during this time that Income Tax officials conducted raids on multiple premises linked to Shivakumar, including his residence in Kanakapura, Bengaluru, and relatives' houses. 
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The authorities deemed Shivakumar's responses unsatisfactory during the interrogation. The Income Tax officials seized a substantial amount of cash totaling around Rs.7.5 crore rupees during the raids. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials launched their own investigation and subsequently arrested Shivakumar for questioning based on information provided during the Income Tax raids. 

This led to the involvement of the CBI, which sought permission from the previous BJP government to file an FIR against Shivakumar and initiate a formal investigation. The CBI granted the green signal for the investigation on September 15, 2019, and officially registered an FIR against Shivakumar on October 3, 2020. However, the change in government in Karnataka led to the withdrawal of the CBI's order for investigation. Opposition parties criticized the decision to withdraw the CBI probe order, questioning its legality. 

Shivakumar responded to the FIR filed against him and asserted his commitment to fight the legal battle in court. The state government revoked the consent granted to the CBI, resulting in the case being transferred to the Lokayukta. Shivakumar also mentioned obtaining a copy of the advocate general's opinion via RTI, which deemed the case unsuitable for CBI intervention. He expressed confusion over the Lokayukta's decision to register the FIR, criticized the previous government for granting consent to the CBI, and questioned the basis for the current FIR lodged with the Lokayukta.

• DK Shivakumar
• Karnataka
• Lok Sabha
• Lokayukta
• illegal-asset