BRS leader Kavitha appears before Delhi Court in connection with Excise Policy case

NEW DELHI: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator K Kavitha appeared before Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital on Saturday in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.

Kavitha, a MLC and the daughter of BRS founder and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was arrested after a day-long questioning followed by a raid at her Hyderabad residence on Friday.

Before appearing before Rouse Avenue Court, Kavitha told reporters that "it is an illegal arrest" She was poduced before the court of special judge MK Nagpal in the Rouse Avenue court.

In the arrest order, the ED investigation officer said, "I believe that Smt. Kalvakuntla Kavitha w/o Mr. D R Anil Kumar, residing at H. No. 8-2316/S/H, Road No 14, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telengana-500034 has been guilty of an offence punishable under the provision of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003)."

"Now, therefore, in exercise of the power conferred upon me under sub section (1) of section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (915 of 2003), I hereby arrest the said Smt. Kalvakuntla Kavitha at 05.20 pm on 15.03.2024 and she has been informed of grounds for arrest. A copy of the grounds of arrest (containing 14 pages) have been served upon her," the officer added.

The action comes almost two months after the ED issued a summons to the 45-year-old BRS leader. She was questioned thrice in this case last year, with the central agency recording her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Meanwhile, earlier today, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before the Rouse Avenue Court the national capital in the Enforcement Directorate summons case.

The Rouse Avenue Court later granted him bail in both the complaints of the Enforcement Directorate. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra granted bail to the Delhi CM.

The bail was granted on a bail bond of Rs 15,000 and a surety of Rs 1 lakh. Kejriwal appeared before the court following a summons issued to him by the court based on two ED complaints in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case. The Rouse Avenue Court on Friday reserved an order on the stay of summons issued to Kejriwal on complaints filed by the ED.