SC Issues Notices to CBI, ED on Kavitha Bail

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) regarding Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha’s plea challenging a Delhi High Court order that denied her bail in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam case.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan requested responses from the CBI and ED concerning Kavitha’s plea against the July 1 High Court decision. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Kavitha, informed the court that she has been in jail for five months.

Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a supplementary charge sheet in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court related to the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. The charge sheet names BRS leader K Kavitha and other accused, including Chanpreet Singh, Damodar, Prince Singh, and Arvind Kumar.

On May 6, the Rouse Avenue Court rejected bail petitions filed by K Kavitha in connection with both CBI and ED cases. Kavitha was arrested by the ED on March 15, 2024, and by the CBI on April 11, 2024.

The CBI investigation was initiated based on a report from the Delhi Chief Secretary filed in July, which indicated prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, the Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, the Delhi Excise Act-2009, and the Delhi Excise Rules-2010. The ED and CBI have alleged that irregularities were committed during the modification of the excise policy, including granting undue favors to license holders, waiving or reducing license fees, and extending the L-1 license without proper approval.