A Delhi court on Saturday extended the Enforcement Directorate’s custody of Bharat Rashtra Samiti leader and Telangana MLC K Kavitha, in the Delhi liquor policy case, till March 26, reported The Hindu.
Kavitha is the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. She had been arrested from her Hyderabad residence on March 15.
On Saturday, the central law enforcement agency also carried out raids at the homes of Kavitha’s relatives in Hyderabad, including her husband Anil Rao and her sister-in-law Akhila, The Hindu reported.
On Friday, the Supreme Court had denied bail to Kavitha in the case and directed her to approach the trial court for relief.
On Saturday, the Enforcement Directorate opposed Kavitha’s bail application before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. It said that Kavitha was not cooperating in its investigation and sought her custody till March 28.
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that Kavitha, among others, conspired with senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia, to secure favours in the formulation and implementation of the now scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy.
Kavitha is alleged to be a part of a so-called South Group that paid “Rs 100 crore to the leaders of AAP” in exchange for the favours through businessman Vijay Nair.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, about Rs 45 crore of this money was utilised by the Aam Aadmi Party for its 2022 Goa Assembly election campaign. The money allegedly reached Goa through a network of informal cash couriers with links to the Aam Aadmi Party and members of the South Group, reported The Indian Express.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa unit chief Amit Palekar has denied the allegations.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday on charges of corruption and money laundering in the Delhi liquor excise policy case. On Friday night, the Rouse Avenue Court sent him to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till March 28.
Two senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders – Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh – are also currently in jail in connection with the case.
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