The Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has summoned Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and his brother, MP DK Suresh, seeking detailed financial information on their transactions with Young Indian, the company that owns the National Herald newspaper.
The notice comes after a fresh case was filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) with the Delhi Police earlier this week.
The notice, dated November 29, directs the brothers to provide a full breakdown of all payments made to Young Indian, including the purpose of the transfers, source of funds, any correspondence with the company or associated stakeholders, and whether donation receipts were issued.
The duo has been asked to respond by December 19.
Responding to the summons, Shivakumar, on Saturday, described the police action in the National Herald case as “harassment” and said he and his brother, MP DK Suresh, have already provided all required details to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
“It is very shocking to me. We had given all the details to the ED. They had also summoned my brother and me. Everything is on record. There is nothing wrong. It is our institution, and as Congress leaders, we have supported it,” Shivakumar told reporters.
He questioned the necessity of police involvement despite the ED having filed a charge sheet. “There is nothing like hide and seek. Everything is in black and white. I don’t know why, even after the ED filed a charge sheet, the police registered a case. We will fight this in court,” he said.
Shivakumar insisted that the funds in question were legitimately theirs and could be given as donations. “It is our money. We can give to anyone we like after paying taxes. Nothing illegal is involved. The PMLA case is already over, and a charge sheet has been filed. This seems aimed at creating confusion and harassing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and all their supporters,” he added.
The inquiry forms part of a broader investigation into allegations that government-allotted properties, originally given to Associated Journals Limited (AJL) for public welfare, were misappropriated. The ED claims these assets, valued at over Rs 2,000 crore, were acquired by Young Indian for just Rs 50 lakh and were later exploited to generate revenue through bogus rents and sham advertisements.
Earlier, the ED had filed a chargesheet against seven individuals, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and sections of the Indian Penal Code covering cheating, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation, and criminal conspiracy. Assets worth Rs 661 crore in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow were also attached during the probe.
The EOW has asked Shivakumar to clarify the source, purpose, and end use of the donations and submit supporting documents, including bank statements and ITR filings.
Authorities will review the responses to decide further action.
The development comes amid heightened parliamentary scrutiny over alleged irregularities in AJL’s takeover, previously linked to the Congress party, with the investigation continuing into possible financial misconduct and regulatory violations in the company’s acquisition and management.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
