'Ready to go to jail, no problem,' says Shivakumar on I-T case against him

Bengaluru: After an FIR was registered against him for allegedly obstructing I-T officials from discharging their duties, Congress leader DK Shivakumar called it a "political vendetta" and said he is ready to go to jail.

"This is all a political vendetta. All cases are being done by these officers and friends of BJP. We know that. We will fight it out politically. We are ready to go to jail, no problem," Shivakumar said here.

An FIR was registered against Shivakumar, former Karnataka chief ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah, and ex-Bengaluru city police commissioner Suneel Kumar among others under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including the charge of sedition, for allegedly obstructing I-T officials from discharging their duties.

Acting on a private complaint, a local court directed the Bengaluru police to file the FIR. Commercial Street police station has filed the case under several sections of the IPC.

Mallikarjuna, a social activist from Tumkur had alleged that on March 27, the then chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had issued statements to the media that he had received information that I-T officials were preparing to raid houses belonging to some JD(S) leaders.

On March 28 they held a protest opposing the raids on JD(S) and Congress leaders. This amounts to obstructing I-T officials from discharging their duties and this also led to major traffic snarls in the area, the activist said.

The police who were present at the spot did not do anything to stop the protest, he stated.