The Congress has also alleged political vendetta behind DK Shivakumar's arrest.

Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who has been sent to Enforcement Directorate custody for 10 days in connection with a money laundering case, on Wednesday said political vendetta has become stronger than law in India.

In a video posted on his Twitter, Mr Shivakumar is seen sitting on a chair, leaning back, saying, "Political vendetta has become stronger than the law in this country." A policeman can be seen standing behind him.

The video message on Twitter came just hours after his request to address the people of Karnataka was turned down by the court where the Enforcement Directorate was seeking his custody for 14 days. "Absolutely not," said judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar when Mr Shivakumar's counsel made the request.

Political Vendetta has become more stronger than the law in this country pic.twitter.com/Ylo7QhBkKn - DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) September 4, 2019

Mr Shivakumar, 57, was arrested on Tuesday evening by the Enforcement Directorate after four days of questioning. The probe agency had claimed that the senior Karnataka Congress leader was not co-operating in the investigation in the case. Mr Shivakumar, however, maintains that not confessing to a crime does not amount to non-cooperation.

The Enforcement Directorate had filed a money laundering case last year naming Mr Shivakumar and others after the Income Tax Department raided 60 properties against them and claimed to have found more than Rs 300 crore in "undisclosed income". A chargesheet was filed, alleging tax evasion and hawala transactions worth crores.

The Congress has alleged political vendetta behind the action against Mr Shivakumar, the party's chief troubleshooter in Karnataka and at the forefront of efforts to keep the Congress-Janata Dal Secular coalition intact before an exodus of MLAs brought it down and led to the return of the BJP.