Excise Policy Scam: Delhi High Court Denies Bail To BRS Leader K Kavitha In CBI & ED Cases
The Delhi High Court has denied bail to K. Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi excise policy scam case.
Kavitha had challenged the Trial Court's order, which dismissed her pleas in the corruption and money laundering case.
The Single Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma passed the Order today.
Pertinently, on May 28, the Court had reserved the order in Kavitha's two bail pleas. Earlier, on March 22, 2024, the Apex Court had denied bail to Kavitha in the money laundering case related to the liquor scam. The Court had directed her to approach the Trial Court for Bail and said that if an Application of Bail is filed it shall be decided expeditiously.
Recently, Kavitha had withdrawn her plea seeking protection from arrest and challenged the summons by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
The ED had said Pillai "represented the south group," an alleged liquor cartel linked to Kavitha and others that paid kickbacks amounting to about Rs 100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party to gain a larger share of the market in the national capital under the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2020–21.
The "south group," according to the ED, comprises Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Pharma), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSR Congress MP from Ongole in Andhra Pradesh), his son Raghav Magunta, Kavitha and others.
The ED had also alleged in Pillai's remand papers that he "represented the benami investments" of Kavitha, who has also been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the case. The Investigating Agency has so far arrested 12 people in the case, including former Delhi deputy chief minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia. It has recorded the statement of Butchi Babu, a chartered accountant allegedly linked to Kavitha, where he said "there was political understanding between K Kavitha and the chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) and the deputy chief minister (Sisodia). In that process, K Kavitha also met Vijay Nair on March 19–20, 2021."
Cause Title: Kalvakuntla Kavitha v. Central Bureau of Investigation & Kalvakuntla Kavitha v. Directorate of Enforcement [BAIL APPLN. 1739/2024 & CRL.M.(BAIL) 835/2024 & BAIL APPLN. 1675/2024 & CRL.M. (BAIL) 799/2024]