Cong terms ED probing Shivakumar in money laundering case as 'highhanded tactics, illegal process'

Hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) grilled Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case, party media-in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday hit out at the Centre and called the investigation a "highhanded tactics and illegal processes."

Surjewala said it is a matter of public knowledge that Shivakumar has been fully cooperating with all agencies and has appeared as required, from time to time.

"We strongly condemn the highhanded tactics and illegal processes being deployed against Congress leader Shivakumar," the Congress spokesperson said in a statement.

Cornering the BJP government over alleged harassment of opposition leaders, Surjewala said: "The continuous and targeted harassment of opposition leaders by the government with the sole aim of diverting the attention of the people from its massive failures continues unabated."

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi government has been targeting its political opponents by "fabricating false cases with political vendetta and vengeance."

Terming the Central probe agencies as "puppet agencies", Surjewala said: "It is reiterated that for all these acts of mindless vendetta on part of the government and its puppet agencies, the Congress party will continue to point out, oppose and protest against the blunders being deliberately committed by the government on various fronts, the gravest being that of annihilation of the Indian economy and pauperisation of its people."

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar again appeared before the agency, which is probing his alleged involvement in a money laundering case.

The 57-year-old leader asserted that he has not done anything wrong and will fully cooperate with the investigating agency."I have faith in the system and the law. They are cooperating with me and so am I," the leader told the media persons outside the agency's office.The agency had summoned Shivakumar late night on Thursday and asked him to appear before it the next day.This had come after the Karnataka High Court dismissed his petition challenging the December 2018 summons issued to him."We are lawmakers and law-abiding citizens. I do not know why they summoned me under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Act," he had said.

"It is all a conspiracy. I have not made any mistake, murder or indulged in corruption. The money you found is my money and I earned it," he had said.