Shivakumar's arrest a politically motivated move by Centre: Ramalinga Reddy

Former Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government of misusing various agencies to target Congress leader DK Shivakumar and others.

"This is a 100 per cent politically motivated move. The Central government is misusing the Income Tax Department, ED, Reserve Bank and the Election Commission to target the Opposition leaders across the country," he said.

Reddy was talking to ANI outside the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital here where Shivakumar had been taken for medical tests on Tuesday night.

Further slamming the Centre, Reddy said, "Shivakumar's is the not the only case, Chidambaram is also not the only one. Since the past five years, they have been doing this. They are killing democracy."

He also said that Shivakumar was doing all right and that he was being looked after by the doctors at the RML hospital.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Shivakumar on Tuesday evening in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

Earlier yesterday, the Congress party had accused the government of "fabricating its political opponents in false cases to divert people's attention from its massive failures" and said it had resorted to "high-handed tactics" in arresting their party leader.

Karnataka Congress has also called for statewide protests on Wednesday against the arrest of their party leader by the ED.