The bail hearing of former Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar, who is in judicial custody in an alleged money-laundering case linked to the recruitment of veterinary officers, was adjourned to October 30 by a special Enforcement Directorate court in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Sahukar is facing an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered by the Enforcement Directorate over allegations of illegal transfer of money. The agency’s case is connected to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers.
During the hearing, senior advocate C.H. Hanumantharay, appearing for Sahukar, argued that the Enforcement Directorate had raised suspicions about transactions in the former KPSC chairman’s bank accounts in addition to alleging his involvement in the recruitment case. He said the transactions were supported by relevant documents and alleged that facts had been concealed while seeking custody.
Hanumantharay also challenged the manner in which the investigation had been conducted. He argued that investigators had claimed to have gathered substantial information but had not documented the material through a mahazar in the presence of panch witnesses. According to the defence, saying that the material would be produced at a later stage was contrary to legal procedure and could not be left to the investigators’ discretion.
The defence further argued that Sahukar had been arrested by expanding the investigation beyond its permitted scope and relying on assumptions about alleged irregularities during his tenure as KPSC chairman. The lawyer asked the court to direct the Enforcement Directorate to place any evidence supporting the allegations before it.
Hanumantharay also submitted that if the agency had concerns about Sahukar’s financial transactions, it could refer the matter to the Income Tax Department for appropriate legal action. He alternatively urged the court to consider receiving the material in a sealed cover and to exercise its discretion in that regard.
The hearing could not be completed before the court’s working hours ended and was postponed to October 30. Advocates Madhu N. Rao and Maheshwari appeared for the Enforcement Directorate, while High Court advocate B. Siddeshwar represented Sahukar. The court’s next hearing will determine the further course of the bail proceedings; no decision on the bail application was reported in the proceedings covered by Prajavani.
