D K Shivkumar's supporters turn up in large numbers at Rouse Avenue court

Vivek Narayanan came to the national capital on Wednesday and has been staying at a hotel in dingy lanes of Paharganj.

On Friday, the 53-year-old Narayanan was up at 6 am, ate a light breakfast and by 9:30 am had reached his destination at Rouse Avenue court to meet hundreds of others, who just like him have come all the way from Karnataka to show solidarity with their revered leader, D K Shivakumar.

Shivakumar, 57, sitting Congress MLA from Kanakapura assembly, is in the ED custody since his arrest on September 3 in a money laundering case.

To control the large number of supporters, who were gathered since morning, additional forces from Delhi Police and the CRPF were deployed inside and outside the courtroom and to escort the politician.

But even the heavy deployment of security personnel could not stop the supporters to barge inside the courtroom, who outnumbered the lawyers and media persons there.

Most of them were busy shooting videos, taking photos of the politician and jostling for selfies with him.

Minutes after special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar Kuhar sat on the dias and the hearing commenced, a woman supporter fainted in the courtroom after which the judge asked the security personnel to take her out and decongest the space.

As Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj finished his submissions, another Shivakumar follower climbed on the last bench in the courtroom to have a glimpse of his leader, who was sitting inside the dock, prompting the judge to warn him to behave.

As the politician was escorted out of the courtroom, a number of his supporters tried to touch his feet and take his pictures after which the security personnel warned them not to use camera in the premises.

Shivakumar, who belongs to Vokkaliga caste, acknowledged the presence of his supporters and talked to them briefly while he was being taken away by the ED.

Slogan shouting was also heard by Karnataka leader's supporters who were in hundred.