Centre trying to demoralise Shivakumar: Kharge

Congress on Wednesday accused the Centre of political 'vendetta' while expressing their support for Karnataka leader DK Shivakumar hours after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.

Alleging "political vendetta", senior party leader Mallikarjuna Kharge said "the central government is harassing DK Shivakumar and wants to demoralise him along with his supporters. As per rules, whenever the Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate called, he responded. He also followed all the rules and regulation in accordance with the law."

"Shivakumar is cooperating with the agencies. Is he absconding? Why are they doing this? Just to harass and mentally torture him. I condemn this," added Kharge.

The Income Tax department had conducted raids at Shivakumar's house in August 2017.

According to the sources, the agency, during the initial probe had allegedly found unaccounted and misreported assets linked to Shivakumar.

Earlier this year, the ED had issued its first summon to Shivakumar on January 17 and second on February 15.

On these two dates, the Congress leader did not appear before the agency. He, instead, approached a court challenging the summons issued to him and sought relief.

On August 29, the Karnataka high court dismissed his petition challenging the summons issued by the ED. Later that night, he was summoned by the agency and was asked to appear before it on August 30, following which he was interrogated for four days.