Days after bail from SC, Kavitha withdraws plea in HC to declare CBI arrest as illegal

On August 27, the Supreme Court granted the BRS leader bail, delivering a stern reprimand to CBI and ED over the fairness of their investigation.

New Delhi

BRS leader K Kavitha after walking out from Tihar jail on August 27. (ANI)

Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Friday withdrew a plea in the Delhi high court, seeking to declare her arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi excise policy case as illegal, days after she was granted bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the case.

Kavitha’s counsel urged a bench of justice Neena Bansal Krishna to permit her to withdraw the petition in view of the change in circumstances. Accordingly, the court allowed the request.

“Counsel for the petitioner states that in view of the change in circumstances, he would like to withdraw the petition. Petitioner has been granted bail by the Supreme Court. Accordingly, the petitioner is permitted to withdraw,” the court said in the order.

Kavitha was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 15 in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Around a month later, CBI arrested her in connection with a parallel investigation into the same case.

On August 27, the Supreme Court granted the BRS leader bail, delivering a stern reprimand to CBI and ED over the fairness of their investigation, and questioning the federal agencies for basing their entire case on inferences rather than solid, incriminating evidence.

A bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai and KV Viswanathan granted bail to Kavitha on grounds that the investigation was complete, the trial was likely to be delayed due to the extensive number of witnesses and documents, and that as a woman, she was entitled to special treatment under section 45(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).