A Delhi court on Friday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) permission to interrogate and record the statements of jailed Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in the money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The order was passed on the plea filed by the probe agency seeking the court's permission to interrogate the BRS leader.
Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15 in connection with the excise policy case and is presently lodged in Tihar jail. She was the third high-profile politician to be arrested in the case after AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. On March 21, Kejriwal became the first sitting chief minister to be arrested in the case.
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According to the Enforcement Directorate's primary allegation against Kavitha in the case, she was a member of the so-called ‘South Group' that paid kickbacks worth ₹100 crore to AAP leaders - in exchange for nine retail zones under the now-scrapped policy. The probe agency also revealed names of other persons involved in the ‘South Group’ - Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSCRCP) MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, his son Raghav Magunta, Aurobindo Group promoter Sarath Reddy, and Delhi-based businessman Sameer Mahendru.
Following her arrest, Kavitha was sent to the central agency's custody till March 23. It was later extended, and last week, she was sent to a 14-day judicial custody.
{{/usCountry}}Following her arrest, Kavitha was sent to the central agency's custody till March 23. It was later extended, and last week, she was sent to a 14-day judicial custody.
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, Delhi's Rouse Avenue court reserved its order on interim bail of the BRS leader for April 9. She had sought interim bail on the grounds that her son has an exam.
What was the Delhi excise policy?
The Delhi government had formed an excise policy in 2021-22 aiming to revitalise the city's flagging liquor business by replacing the sales-volume-based regime with a license fee for traders, and promised swankier stores, free of the infamous metal grilles, ultimately giving customers a better buying experience. However, the policy was scrapped after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena sought a CBI probe into the policy alleging irregularities.
(With inputs from agencies)