Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 3: Former minister and Congress strongman D K Shivakumar, on Friday August 2, admitted that he did business with Siddhartha Hegde. He hastened to add that his dealings with Siddhartha had nothing to do with the Cafe Coffee Day founder's death.

Shivakumar said that like him, Siddhartha too was a businessman. "We had minor business transactions between us. But I refute the notion being created that his business association with me caused Siddhartha's death," he insisted.

D K Shivakumar (left) and Siddhartha Hegde

Shivakumar said he and Siddhartha were friends for three decades and he shared a close bond with Siddhartha that was beyond the realms of business and friendship. "The bond between us was very strong and it will continue even after his unfortunate death. People who did not appreciate our strong bond have floated fake rumours," he analyzed.

Immediately after the information about Siddhartha Hegde going missing spread like wildfire on July 30, hinting that the entrepreneur would have died, Shivakumar had said in a tweet that he had got a call from Siddhartha seeking a meeting with him on July 28. He also had wondered how a brave man like Siddhartha could resort to such a measure.