Shivakumar hits out at I-T dept over gifting phones to BJP MPs

Agencies
October 27, 2019

Bengaluru, Oct 27: Former minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Sunday lashed out at investigating agencies for serving notices on him for gifting phones to a few MPs, including some from the BJP, and not on those who received the devices.

Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on September 3 in an alleged money laundering case and was in judicial custody at the Tihar Jail.

On Saturday, he returned to a rousing welcome from Delhi to Bengaluru after getting bail.

Holding a press conference at the party office on Sunday, Shivakumar said, As irrigation minister I had to deal with certain issues. Some people asked me to give them some latest phones, which I gave. Immediately I received a notice from the I-T department."

"Following the notice, I showed expenditure from personal account, not from any other," he said.

He said barring three persons, all other people whom he gifted phones had accepted them.

"All those who gave statements (against me) have received phones from me. The notice should also be served to them, isnt it? Shouldnt notice be served on all those who received gifts above Rs 50,000? But I dont want to raise that issue," he said.

"I dont want to go to that level, a peeved Shivakumar told reporters.

The former minister said he was under watch and his every step was closely monitored.

This is only an example how I was tortured. It has been going on for the past one year. I will bring these facts up in some forum. I will have to bring it to the knowledge of people, but at an appropriate time, Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar said he should be liable to punishment if he has done anything wrong. He claimed he never committed any and was ready to contest the allegations.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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