ED officials harassing me: DKS tells court

Former minister D K Shivakumar turned emotional in the court hall on Friday and charged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials tormented him during interrogation.

When the ED produced the senior Congress leader in the special court at Rouse Avenue, he told the court that the ED officials continued to grill him even as he was bleeding in his hand due to insertion of an intravenous (IV) cannula. The former minister told the court that he was in the hospital till 1 am (of Friday) taking treatment for high blood pressure and sugar. Showing his hand to special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar, Shivakumar said though he had been requesting officers that he was not well, they did not spare him.

Also read: DK Shivakumar remanded to ED custody till Sept 17

Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Shivakumar, said that despite his health condition, the ED officials questioned him for 120 hours. “You know high blood pressure may lead to stroke,” Singhvi told the court.

Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, representing the ED, contended that Shivakumar did not answer properly to questions. Shivakumar was trying to influence his case by organising protests, the ASG argued. The special court judge allowed family members and Shivakumar’s advocates to meet him for half-an-hour daily. The judge also allowed Shivakumar’s family doctor, Kunigal Congress MLA, Dr Ranganath to meet him daily.

Judge also asked the ED to take care of the medical requirements of Shivakumar before questioning him.

A large number of Shivakumar’s supporters gathered on the special court premises. Additional forces from Delhi Police and the CRPF were deployed inside and outside the courtroom to control the crowd. But even the heavy deployment of security personnel could not stop the supporters from barging inside the courtroom, who outnumbered the lawyers and media persons there.

Minutes after special judge Kuhar commenced hearing, a woman supporter fainted in the courtroom after which the judge asked the security personnel to take her out and decongest the space.

The court extended the ED custody of D K Shivakumar till September 17.