Liquor Policy Scam: Delhi Court Remands BRS Leader K Kavitha To Judicial Custody Till April 23 In CBI Case

A Delhi Court on Monday remanded BRS leader K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 23 in the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the alleged liquor policy scam.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order after Kavitha was produced in court on the expiry of her three days of CBI custody.

Advocate Nitesh Rana appeared for Kavitha. CBI sought 14 days of judicial custody for the BRS leader. 

As per CBI, Kavitha is one of the key conspirators in the liquor policy case and is concealing facts which are exclusively in her knowledge. The probe agency had sought 14 days of judicial custody for her. On the other hand, her counsel argued that as per the Supreme Court's judgment in Pankaj Bansal, an accused has the right to say whatever they want to. "The accused is not required to answer the way they want, in a customized manner," he argued.

Kavitha was arrested on the evening of March 15 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case related to the excise policy case. She was in judicial custody when the CBI arrested her. This was after CBI recently got permission from court to interrogate Kavitha in jail.

CBI alleged that Sarath Reddy participated in the liquor business in Delhi under the excise policy on Kavitha's assurance that she has contacts in the Delhi Government and she would help him in the business.

It further alleged that in November-December 2021, Kavitha asked Sarath Chandra Reddy to pay Rs. 25 crores at the rate of Rs. 5 crores per zone for the 05 retail zones allotted to him, as she had claimed that she herself had paid Rs.100 crores as upfront money to Aam Aadmi Party through Vijay Nair for getting favourable provisions in Excise Policy.

CBI alleged that Kavitha was required to be examined in connection with the evidence surfaced during the further investigation of the case in respect of her involvement in the criminal conspiracy regarding formulation and implementation of the Excise Policy.

The judge recently denied interim bail to Kavitha in the money laundering case. Her regular bail plea is fixed for hearing on April 16.

ED has alleged that Kavitha is “one of the kingpins, a key conspirator and beneficiary” of the excise policy scam.

The agency alleged that Kavitha along with other members of the South Group namely Sarath Reddy, Raghav Magunta and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, conspired with top Aam Aadmi Party leaders and gave them kickbacks to the tune of Rs. 100 Crore and in exchange, got undue favours in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy.

ED had also alleged that Kavitha orchestrated a deal with the Delhi Chief Minister and then Deputy Chief Minister, wherein she along with other members of the South Group paid them kickbacks through a string of intermediaries and middlemen.