Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar produced before Delhi court

The Karnataka Congress has called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday, following the arrest of the party troubleshooter DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case.

Shivakumar was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday, following intense interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials for four days.

"In order to condemn the arrest of DK Shivakumar and the misuse of the Enforcement Directorate by the government, the Karnataka Congress has called for a state-wide bandh on September 4," Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president General secretary Sathyan Puthoor told The Indian Express.

The Karnataka High Court had earlier dismissed Shivakumar's plea challenging the summons issued by the ED. The court had also rejected interim protection for him. The former minister may appear before a special ED court on September 5 for his bail.

After his arrest, DKS took to Twitter to congratulate the Bharatiya Janata Party for the same. "I congratulate my BJP friends for finally being successful in their mission of arresting me. The IT and ED cases against me are politically motivated and I am a victim of BJP's politics of vengeance and vendetta," wrote Shivakumar.

In August 2017, the Income Tax department had conducted a raid at Shivakumar's properties in Delhi and Bengaluru, and seized unaccounted Rs 8.59 crore in cash. The ED had issued a summon regarding the seizure.

DK Shivakumar's main counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that his arrest is illegal. "This is a tax evasion case so why custodial is interrogation required. We will oppose ED remand," Singhvi said.

"It has now become fashionable for the Congress leaders to claim vendetta even when specific allegations or specific charges of financial misdemeanor, money laundering and all such financial crimes come to the fore," BJP national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao told PTI.

DK Shivakumar is expected to be produced before the court by the ED at 4 pm on Wednesday. 

According to India Today, DK Shivakumar was shifted to the coronary care unit from nursing home. 

Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday urged the protestors to keep the demonstration peaceful and not vandalise buses and other public property.

According to India Today, DK Shivakumar has been declared medically fit. The ED is likely to produce him before a court on Wednesday. 

The Congress workers protesting against the arrest of DK Shivakumar blocked the Belagavi-Bagalkot highway on Wednesday. 

The state police has asked the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to not operate buses in Ramanagara until a clearance is given.

ED official will visit DK Shivakumar at the RML hospital in Delhi on Wednesday. The doctors will brief the officials about his condition. He will be produced before the ED court following a clearance from doctors. 

The bandh in Karnataka will only be effective in Ramanagara and Kanakapura. Although the protest will not be observed in Bengaluru, the traffic towards Mysore might be affected. 

"Shivakumar's health has deteriorated due to the harassment he has been subjected to. Doctors have advised him to rest but Enforcement Directorate (ED) is trying to take him away," President of Youth Congress Srinivas BV told ANI, after visiting DKS at the RML Hospital in Delhi.