SC issues notice to Karnataka Congress president Shivakumar over IT dept plea over tax evasion

On Monday, the Supreme Court issued notice to Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on a petition filed by the Income Tax Department over tax evasion. The development comes a day after the Congress president appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi for questioning in a money laundering case.

A bench comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari was hearing the IT department's plea challenging a Karnataka High Court's order that was passed in April 2021.

The HC had refused to entertain the central agency's revision petition challenging a special court's decision to discharge Shivakumar in three cases related to a raid on the Eagleton Resort in 2017.

Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and CA Sundaram appeared for Shivakumar, while additional Solicitor General N Venkatraman represented the agency.

Notably, the IT department had filed three complaints against the grand old party leader for evading tax to the tune of Rs 3.14 crore, Rs 2.56 crore, and Rs 7.08 crore in 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18, respectively.

Shivakumar under agencies' scanner

Previously, ED had arrested Shivakumar on September 3, 2019 in another money-laundering case, and the Delhi High Court granted him bail in October that year.

The agency is understood to have issued him the latest summons after taking cognisance of a CBI case against him linked to alleged possession of disproportionate assets.

The agency had in May this year, filed a charge sheet against him and others in this case, which was registered after taking cognisance of an Income Tax department charge-sheet filed against him.

Published on: Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 10:29 AM IST