In more trouble for arrested Congress leader DK Shivakumar, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now summoned his daughter Aisshwarya for questioning as part of its probe into the money laundering case against the former Karnataka Minister.
A senior ED official told IANS: "We have summoned Aisshwarya for questioning in the money laundering case on September 12."
The official said that while scrutanising the financial dealings of Shivakumar, the agency found documents pertaining to a trust handled by his daughter.
"To get the details of the functioning of the trust and its financial transactions, we have summoned Aisshwarya for questioning," he said.
The financial probe agency had arrested Shivakumar on September 3 after questioning him for over two days in connection with case. A day later, a Delhi court sent Shivakumar to 10-day ED custody.
The official said that if required, the agency would also confront Aisshwarya with Shivakumar along with the financial transaction documents related to the trust.
Shivakumar has been on the radar of the Income Tax Department and the ED since demonetisation in 2016. An Income Tax search at his New Delhi flat on August 2, 2017 led to the seizure of unaccounted cash worth Rs 8.59 crore.
Thereafter, the I-T Department lodged cases against the Congress leader and his four associates under Sections 277 and 278 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and Sections 120(B), 193 and 199 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Incidentally, according to Shivakumar’s affidavit submitted to the Election Commission ahead of the Assembly elections in 2018, Aishwarya owned assets of Rs 108 crore compared to only Rs 1.09 crore in 2013. Shivakumar however clarified that Aisshwarya was not dependent on his income, and that he was still declaring her assets as per the Representation of People Act.
Other than this, his affidavit mentioned her paying an advance towards purchase of built-up area in Soul Space Spirit Mall in Bellandur worth 76.1 crore and
This summon comes after the ED raided Karnataka Bhavan employee Anjaneya Hanumantha, an aide of the former minister in connection with the money laundering case.
Sources in the ED say they are also probing an alleged transaction in which Shivakumar hd bought 60% of the solar park at Ballari's Hagaribommanahalli. Sleuths also want to confirm if the transaction was allegedly carried out by Shivakumar by misusing his position as Energy Minister in the Siddaramaiah government.