K Kavitha of BRS Sent to Judicial Custody Till April 23 in Delhi Excise Policy Case

K Kavitha of BRS Sent to Judicial Custody Till April 23 in Delhi Excise Policy Case

BRS leader K. Kavitha was placed in judicial prison until April 23 by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Monday about the excise policy issue. The CBI brought Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, before the court when her three days of police detention were up. According to reports, the CBI informed the court at the hearing that the BRS leader did not need additional in-custody questioning. On March 15, Kavitha was taken to jail by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Following her arrest, on March 23, she was placed in the custody of the CBI. On April 11, the CBI detained her and took her to Tihar jail. The BRS leader had requested temporary bail earlier, citing her son’s upcoming exam as justification and a Delhi court had set its judgment for April 9.

Before her arrest, Kavitha was granted multiple summonses for questioning; at least two of those requests were disregarded. The central agency documented Kavitha’s comments during her three interrogations last year in compliance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Throughout her most recent three-day detention by the CBI, Kavitha was questioned by investigators regarding documents about a land deal and WhatsApp conversations that were found on the phone of one of the co-accused, Buchi Babu. Following this, it was purported that ₹100 crore in kickbacks were given to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to influence the excise policy in favor of a liquor lobby.

The AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were the first two prominent politicians to be detained in this matter, with the BRS leader being the third. Kejriwal was the first chief minister to be arrested in the case while in office on March 21.

Also Read: Supreme Court to Hear Arvind Kejriwal’s Plea in Delhi Excise Policy Case Against ED Arrest

What is the allegation against Kavitha in the excise policy case?

Kavitha was a part of the ‘South Group,’ which the Enforcement Directorate claims paid ₹100 crore in kickbacks to AAP leaders in exchange for nine retail zones under the now-canceled program. The names of other members of the group had also been made public by the investigation agency: Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, MP for the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSCRCP); his son Raghav Magunta; Sarath Reddy, founder of the Aurobindo Group; and Sameer Mahendru, a businessman from Delhi.