A Delhi court on Friday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation to interrogate Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha in judicial custody in connection with the liquor policy case, reported Live Law.
Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate from her Hyderabad residence on March 15. On March 26, she was sent to judicial custody till April 9 after the agency said that her further custodial interrogation was not required.
On Friday, special judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Courts was hearing an application by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which said that it wanted to question Kavitha about chats recovered from her accountant Buchi Babu’s phone, reported Bar and Bench.
The probe agency also said that Kavitha needed to be questioned in connection with documents related to a land deal after which Rs 100 crore bribes were allegedly paid to Aam Aadmi Party.
On Thursday, a Delhi court reserved its order on the interim bail plea moved by Kavitha. The order will be pronounced on Monday.
The case
The Enforcement Directorate’s case is based on a first information report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation alleging irregularities in the excise policy. The agencies have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party modified the policy to ensure a 12% profit margin for wholesalers and a nearly 185% profit margin for retailers.
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 liquor excise policy of the national capital.
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 favours through businessman Vijay Nair.
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that about Rs 45 crore of this money was used 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.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa unit chief Amit Palekar has denied the allegations.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 on charges of corruption and money-laundering in the case. On Friday night, the Rouse Avenue Court sent him to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody until March 28.
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