Karnataka Congress leader D. K. Shivakumar, arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate, moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday seeking bail.

He has challenged the trial court's Wednesday order by which his bail plea was dismissed.

The trial court had said that Shivakumar's release at this crucial stage of investigation may hamper the probe, while noting that he is an influential person and may influence witnesses or tamper with documents.

'The investigating agency must have a full, fair and free chance to investigate in depth so that it can reach to a logical conclusion. The release of the applicant at such crucial stage of investigation may hamper the investigation. Therefore, I am of the considered view that the applicant is not entitled for bail at this stage of investigation,' the judge had said while denying relief to the Congress leader Shivakumar.

Considering his bail application, the court had said that while it has to be conscious of the liberty of an individual, it cannot ignore the interests of society.

A balance has to be struck between the two as the investigation in the present case was still at the initial stage, it stated.

The court had also perused Shivakumar's medical report and noted that although the Congress leader has undergone angiography, his condition was stable and has been advised medication.

The ED had in September last year registered the money laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at the Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others.

The case was based on a chargesheet filed by the Income Tax Department against them last year before a special court in Bengaluru alleging tax evasion and 'hawala' transactions worth crores of rupees.

The I-T department has accused Shivakumar and his alleged associate S. K. Sharma of transporting huge amount of unaccounted cash on a regular basis through 'hawala' channels with the help of the three other accused.