In a relief to Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere in the Karnataka high court order which granted the interim stay on the CBI inquiry against him into the alleged ‘disproportionate’ assets case.In June, the high court stayed the order of the state government granting consent to the CBI to probe the disproportionate assets case against Shivakumar. In his appeal, Shivakumar contended that a co-ordinate bench’s order dismissing the petition filed by Shashikumar Shivanna, a Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) employee. Shivakumar has also challenged the FIR against him in the case. The high court of Karnataka later extended the stay on the CBI investigation against the deputy CM in the case.

The Income Tax Department conducted a search and seizure operation in the offices and residences of Shivakumar in 2017. Based on it, the Enforcement Directorate started its own probe against Shivakumar. Later, the CBI sought sanction from the state government to register an FIR against him.