"I am back": DK Shivakumar released from Tihar jail, thanks Sonia Gandhi

Hours after Delhi High Court granted bail to senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar, the Karnataka leader walked out of Tihar jail here on Wednesday.

"The Delhi High Court has granted me bail. I thank all those who have stood solidly behind me in this time of crisis. I am back," Shivakumar said after his release.

The Delhi High Court had earlier today granted bail to Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

"I thank all the leaders of various political parties, including party president Sonia Gandhi. She came all the way to visit me and give me strength. I express thanks to all those who stood on the streets of this country and prayed for me," he told ANI outside the prison.

The HC gave bail to Shivakumar on a bond of Rs 25 lakh plus two sureties. The bail was granted on a condition that he cannot influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidence, leave the country without prior permission of the court and make himself available for the investigation whenever necessary.

Shivakumar was arrested on September 3 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and sent to judicial custody till October 25 in the Tihar jail.

The alleged money laundering case was registered against him by the ED in September last year, based on a complaint filed by the Income Tax department, alleging tax evasion and hawala transactions amounting to crores.

The I-T Department, during the initial probe, had allegedly found unaccounted and misreported wealth linked to Shivakumar.