Delhi liquor scam: CBI arrests BRS leader K Kavitha

The CBI arrested Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Thursday (April 11) in connection with a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, officials said.

The daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was held in Tihar Jail, where she was lodged after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), they said.

CBI officials had recently questioned Kavitha inside the prison after obtaining permission from a special court. The BRS leader was questioned about the WhatsApp chats recovered from co-accused Buchi Babu's phone and documents related to a land deal, after which an amount of Rs 100 crore was allegedly paid to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in kickbacks to swing the excise policy for the national capital in favour of a liquor lobby. The CBI officials had gone to Tihar Jail on Saturday to question Kavitha on these aspects of the case, sources said.

This arrest follows a Delhi court's permission for the CBI to interrogate the BRS leader. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja allowed the CBI to visit the jail to record Kavitha's statement after submitting a written notice to the jail superintendent the day before.

Earlier, a Delhi court on Tuesday extended her judicial custody in the money laundering case by 14 days.

The court had on Monday also denied her interim bail noting that prima facie, the proof demonstrates her active participation in the alleged offence and “deliberate” act of causing destruction of evidence.

“The material placed before this court in the course of arguments prima facie points towards her active involvement in commission of the alleged offences as also towards her deliberate act of causing destruction of evidence, besides attempting to influence witnesses of the case,” special judge Kaveri Baweja said in her order.

The ED arrested Kavitha (46) from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15.

(With agency inputs)