Delhi liquor policy case: CBI to examine Kavitha on Dec 11

NEW DELHI: The CBI has issued a fresh notice to TRS MLC K Kavitha for questioning on December 11 at her Hyderabad residence in connection with Delhi Excise Policy scam case, officials said Tuesday.

The agency is understood to have agreed to the request of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter to postpone her questioning from Tuesday to any date between December 11-15.

In response to the first notice issued on December 2, Kavitha had said she went through the contents of the FIR copy as well as the complaint available on the website in connection with the case and her name did not figure anywhere in any manner whatsoever. The fresh notice issued by the agency states, ''...CBI team will visit your residence at 1100 hrs on December 11, 2022 for your examination and recording of your statement in connection with investigation of aforesaid (Delhi Excise scam) case. Kindly confirm your availability on the said date and time at your residential address at Hyderabad...'' Kavitha, in a statement on Monday, had said she informed the authorities that they can meet her at her Hyderabad residence.

''I am a law-abiding citizen and will cooperate with the investigation. I will meet you on any of the above said dates to cooperate with the investigation. It is made clear that this is without prejudice to my legal rights available under law,'' she had said.

The CBI has already filed a charge sheet against seven individuals in connection with the excise scam.

The agency is conducting further probe to decipher alleged role of Southern lobby in influencing the formulation and execution of Delhi Excise policy, the officials said. ''Further investigation is continuing to investigate the role of FIR named accused and other persons on various allegations including conspiracies with other licensees, money trails, cartelization and larger conspiracies in the formulation and implementation of the Excise Policy,'' the CBI had said after filing of charge sheet.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged, ''...Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has at least received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from a group, called south group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Ms K Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) by various persons including Amit Arora.'' Officials identified Kavitha as the daughter of Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao. ''We state that we will face any kind of inquiry. If the agencies come and ask us questions we will certainly answer. But tarnishing leaders' images by giving selective leaks to the media, people will refute it,'' Kavitha had said in Hyderabad.