Bengaluru, 13 Feb

Karnataka Lokayukta police have registered a case against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar anticipating a transfer of a disproportionate assets probe to itself from CBI.

Karnataka cabinet in November 2023, withdrew the previous BJP government’s decision to accord sanction to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute Shivakumar, who is also Congress State unit President.

Reacting to FIR, DK Shivakumar said, “CBI was giving hundreds of notices to all the institutions I am affiliated with, my friends and family. Now the case has been transferred to Lokayuktha. I have not done anything wrong and I will fight this legally.”

Lokayukta police are anticipating the transfer of the case from CBI, but acknowledged that State Government's order of withdrawing sanction has been disputed by CBI in Karnataka High Court.

There is no bar as of now on Lokayukta to investigate the case as court has not put any restrictions. “Without CBI transferring the case documents, there isn’t much we can do right now except some basic investigation. For some meaningful investigation to happen, we are waiting for High Court order and we will act as per its directions,” an officer said.