In a significant development, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has remanded Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha to the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) until April 15. This decision comes in light of the CBI’s pursuit of custodial interrogation of Kavitha regarding alleged irregularities surrounding the formulation and execution of the now-defunct Delhi liquor excise policy for the years 2021-22.
Kavitha’s custody by the CBI follows her prior arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case associated with the same scandal. She was apprehended while being lodged in Tihar jail.
The allegations against Kavitha stem from purported WhatsApp communications retrieved from the device of her co-accused, Buchi Babu, as well as documents pertaining to a land transaction. It is alleged that a substantial sum of ₹100 crore was illicitly transferred to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi as kickbacks, with the intention of influencing the excise policy in favor of a liquor lobby.
According to reports from the news agency ANI, the CBI emphasized in its remand plea that Kavitha had not provided satisfactory responses and appeared to be withholding information exclusive to her knowledge. Consequently, the CBI argued for a five-day custodial remand to further probe the alleged conspiracy.
In her defense, Kavitha asserted that the CBI’s line of questioning was misguided, stating, “I don’t have anything to say. They ask the same old questions. It’s a futile exercise. CBI is asking wrong questions,” during interactions with the Press Trust of India (PTI) outside the court premises.
The charges against Kavitha are severe, as she stands accused under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read in conjunction with Section 477-A (falsification of accounts) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as Section 7 (offense relating to public servant being bribed) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
This latest development follows Kavitha’s earlier arrest by the ED from her residence in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, on March 15. As the investigation unfolds, it is expected that further revelations may emerge regarding the alleged malpractices surrounding the Delhi liquor excise policy, casting a shadow over the political landscape of the capital city.
