ED subpoena: I am being targeted, says Shivakumar

Facing summons by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, beleaguered Congress leader DK Shivakumar said Friday he was targeted for being faithful to his party.

"The I-T raid on me was politically motivated for hosting Gujarat Congress MLAs. As a loyal soldier of Congress and a responsible politician, I did what party asked me to do, for which I am being targeted," Shivakumar said in a tweet.

Shivakumar, known as the Congress' man Friday, was referring to him safeguarding 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs at a resort outside Bengaluru in 2017, to keep them from being poached by the BJP during the Rajya Sabha elections. This helped Sonia Gandhi's confidant Ahmed Patel win a seat in the upper house.

Soon after the Gujarat MLAs reached the resort, Shivakumar and people allegedly associated with him were raided.

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed Shivakumar's petition seeking quashing of summons issued by the ED in a money laundering case. Following the ruling, the ED subpoenaed Shivakumar, asking him to appear before it on Friday.

"Although the sudden scheduling by ED is mala fide, I believe in rule of law and will definitely participate and fully cooperate with them and abide by the law of our country," Shivakumar said. "I have full faith in legal systems and will face this legally as well as politically."