Delhi excise scam: BRS leader K Kavitha sent to judicial custody till April 9

The Rouse Avenue Court has extended Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha’s judicial custody until April 9 in relation to the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. The court has also scheduled a hearing for April 1 to consider an interim bail plea filed by K Kavitha.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought Kavitha’s judicial custody, citing concerns about her potential influence over witnesses and evidence tampering if released. The agency stated that the investigation into economic crimes, such as those alleged in this case, is complex and requires careful scrutiny.

Kavitha, a Telangana Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and the daughter of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested on March 15 in Hyderabad. She was remanded to ED custody the following day after a search operation at her residence.

Earlier, the Supreme Court declined to entertain K Kavitha’s bail plea in the Delhi excise policy case, directing her to approach the trial court for bail expeditiously.

The case revolves around allegations that Kavitha conspired with top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, to gain advantages in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise policy, allegedly involving a payment of Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders.

The ED’s investigation stemmed from a report by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena in July 2022, highlighting procedural irregularities in the policy’s formulation.

The ED has alleged that the policy was designed to benefit private entities in the wholesale liquor business, with a kickback scheme involving AAP leaders. Sisodia was arrested earlier in connection with the case.

Kavitha’s arrest is linked to her alleged involvement with the “South Group,” identified as a group of individuals who allegedly paid kickbacks to AAP leaders. Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was remanded to ED custody until March 28 in the same case, following his arrest by the probe agency.