Arrest of Shivakumar, clear case of political vendetta:Cong

''The arrest of D K Shivakumar is a clear case of political vendetta by the fascist BJP government at the Centre. After Mr Chidambaram, yet another leader facing vengeance for standing up against the horse trading and petty politics of the BJP. By these actions ED and the CBI has proved to be the puppet agents of the Government at the Centre. A wrong trend has been set by the Modi Government to harass and hunt down the political opponents with fabricated allegations,'' AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said in a statement.

He said that even though there were well proved and explicit cases of black money transactions and money laundering during the political horse trading in Karnataka by the BJP leaders, the central investigating agencies had not registered any cases against them.

''Shivakumar, being the strong and obedient Congress leader in Karnataka, was always a target of the BJP. Although, he unhesitatingly appeared for the questioning and cooperated with the investigations, the Enforcement Directorate is seemingly obeying the command from their masters. It is evident that the government is desperately trying to hide its outright failure in checking the economic slowdown and financial crisis with shameless harassment of political opponents,'' he said.

Reacting to the development, AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said,''Fertilizers, automobiles, textiles and refineries sectors are all reeling under unemployment. In order to divert the attention of the nation from all this, the Congress leaders are being targeted with false cases that are emanate from a feeling of political vendetta. The arrest of Shivakumar is one such attempt.''

After a series of interrogations for the last several days, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar in connection with a money laundering case. Earlier on Tuesday, the senior leader was questioned by the agency for the fifth day in Delhi.

Shivakumar, the former cabinet minister and sitting MLA from the Kanakapura seat, has been placed under arrest under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Meanwhile, in a series of tweets following his arrest, Shivakumar said he was a victim of BJP's politics of vengeance and vendetta.

''I congratulate my BJP friends for finally being successful in their mission of arresting me. The IT and ED cases against me are politically motivated and I am a victim of BJP's politics of vengeance and vendetta," Shivakumar tweeted shortly after his arrest.

Appealing to his party cadre, supporters and well-wishers to not be disheartened , he said he has full faith country's Judiciary and was confident that he would emerge victorious both legally and politically against this vendetta politics.

''I appeal to my party cadre, supporters and well-wishers to not be disheartened as I have done nothing illegal. I have full faith in God and in our country's Judiciary and am very confident that I will emerge victorious both legally and politically against this vendetta politics,'' Shivakumar said.