BRS chief and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter and BRS MLC K Kavitha was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi liquor scam case on Friday evening.
Earlier in the day ED and Income Tax officials from Delhi conducted searches in her house for about six hours and seized several mobile phones and critical documents. The raids follow after she skipped the ED summons multiple times. ED had issued summons in January and February this year.
The officials also recorded her statement relating to the Delhi liquor scam case. The ED had claimed Kavitha was linked to a ‘south group’ named lobby of liquor traders who were trying to play a larger role under the now scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.
During the day, at least 10 officers from both agencies from New Delhi had conducted searches in the presence of Kavitha and her husband D Anil Kumar.
Shortly after she was taken into custody, Kavita’s brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao, and her cousin T Harish Rao, reached her residence. Both got into an argument with ED officers, demanding to see a transit warrant. Kavitha is expected to be taken to Delhi by the ED around 8-9 pm.
Earlier, she was questioned by ED in March 2023 in connection with the case. It is alleged that Kavitha was in touch with Vijay Nair, the communication head of AAP, who was engaging with businessmen from the liquor industry and politicians during the execution of the policies.
The ED has alleged in its chargesheet that Kavitha was part of a ‘South Group’ that paid Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to the AAP leaders in exchange for undue benefits under the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. Kavitha has denied the allegations, and described the ED notices as “Modi notices”. Three key AAP leaders – Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair – are already in jail in connection with the case.
