Karnataka Cm Designate D K Shivakumar Gets 2 Year Foreign Travel Relief In 2018 Income Tax Case

A special court recently granted Karnataka Chief Minister-designate and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar an extended exemption for two years from legal curbs imposed on him in 2018 from leaving the country without court clearances in connection with an inco... A special court recently granted Karnataka Chief Minister-designate and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar an extended exemption for two years from legal curbs imposed on him in 2018 from leaving the country without court clearances in connection with an income tax evasion case. Shivakumar, set to take oath as the CM of Karnataka on June 3 following Siddaramaiah’s resignation, is currently facing trial in a Rs 8.59-crore income tax evasion case and was granted bail by a special court in Bengaluru in 2018, on the condition that he cannot leave India without court permission. Since the Income Tax (I-T) department filed a chargesheet under the IT Act in November 2021 for false income tax statements, false evidence, and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code, Shivakumar has relied on court permissions to undertake foreign trips. While Shivakumar has been granted permission on four occasions since 2021 for short-duration foreign travel up to one year, a special court hearing cases against elected representatives granted the Congress leader an extended exemption of two years for foreign travel on May 15. Shivakumar’s counsel told the special court that it would not be feasible for the Congress leader, who is currently the state’s deputy CM, to frequently approach the court for permissions to travel abroad. Although the I-T department objected to granting permission for foreign travel over a long period, it agreed to impose conditions on Shivakumar. The special court ruled in favour of the Congress leader’s request for permission to travel abroad for two years. “Upon considering the status of accused No.1 both in his personal capacity and official capacity, this court is of the opinion that the submission made by the counsel for the accused appear to be correct and bonafide in the interest of the accused representing the state and also interest of this court,” the special court said in its order. “The accused No.1 is permitted to travel abroad to the USA, European Countries, U.K, Australia, Russia and Arab Nations over a period of two years from today…” the court said, adding that Shivakumar must inform the I-T department in advance before taking up foreign visits and that he should appear in court when required for the trial of the case. The I-T department’s income tax evasion case from 2017 against Shivakumar and four alleged associates lies at the root of a money laundering case taken up by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in 2018 and a corruption case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2020 against him. The 2018 income tax case also lies indirectly at the root of the Congress strongman’s ascendancy to his current position as the chief minister designate of Karnataka. The ED case against Shivakumar, for which he was arrested in