Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Monday sent BRS leader K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 23 in connection with the excise policy case. Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was produced before the court by CBI on the expiry of her three-day police custody.
During the hearing, the CBI told the court that the BRS leader was not required for further custodial interrogation, reported PTI.
On March 15, Kavitha was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). She was detained by the CBI till March 23 after her arrest. On April 11, the CBI took her into custody and placed her in Tihar prison. The BRS leader had requested temporary relief since her son had an exam, and a Delhi court had previously set its judgement for April 9.
Kavitha was called in for questioning many times prior to her arrest, but she ignored at least two of those summonses. Kavitha was questioned three times in the previous year, and her statements were recorded by the central agency in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was allegedly paid 100 crore in kickbacks to influence the excise policy in favour of a liquor lobby, according to documents linked to a land deal and WhatsApp conversations that were found on a co-accused Buchi Babu’s phone during Kavitha’s recent three days in CBI custody.
Following AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, the BRS leader was the third well-known politician to be taken into custody in connection with the investigation. Kejriwal was the first chief minister in office to be arrested in this matter on March 21.
What is the allegation in the excise policy case against Kavitha?
According to the Enforcement Directorate, Kavitha was a member of the so-called ‘South Group’ that paid kickbacks worth ₹100 crore to AAP leaders – in exchange for nine retail zones under the now-scrapped policy. The probe agency had also revealed names of other people involved in the group – Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSCRCP) MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, his son Raghav Magunta, Aurobindo Group promoter Sarath Reddy, and Delhi-based businessman Sameer Mahendru.
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(Source: HT)
