The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Yesterday (April 10th) told a Delhi court that it has already questioned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, who is presently in judicial custody in a money laundering probe related to the Delhi liquor policy case.
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NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) communicated to a Delhi court that Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha has been questioned regarding her involvement in the money laundering case linked to Delhi’s liquor policy.
This development surfaced during a session at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court, which was evaluating Kavitha’s objection to the CBI’s request for an interrogation while she is under judicial custody.
The court had previously sanctioned the CBI’s request on Friday, permitting them to interrogate Kavitha within the confines of Tihar Jail and to document her statements. When the matter was revisited for the CBI’s response, the agency’s counsel disclosed that a formal reply was unnecessary since the interrogation had already been conducted.
Advocate Nitesh Rana, representing Kavitha, contended that the CBI proceeded with the questioning on the same day she had filed her application against their plea. According to Rana, despite the CBI’s questioning, Kavitha’s legal team remains intent on pursuing the application and requested a copy of the CBI’s original plea for questioning.
The court, pondering over the purpose of further arguments given the interrogation’s completion, still acceded to Kavitha’s counsel’s insistence on proceeding with their case. Consequently, the court deferred the matter to April 26 for arguments concerning the application.
The allowance for the CBI’s questioning came with stipulations; the Investigating Officer (IO), alongside a designated female constable or Head Constable from the CBI, was permitted entry to the jail for the interrogation, provided they notified the jail superintendent a day in advance.
This line of inquiry by the CBI stems from allegations that Kavitha played a pivotal role in orchestrating a scheme to funnel Rs 100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in exchange for favorable conditions in the newly established liquor policy. Furthermore, the court was informed of an issued notice to Kavitha in February, urging her participation in the investigation—a call she did not heed, leading to her inability to be examined prior to her custody.
EARLIER IN THE COURT
The Rouse Avenue Court on April 9th extended the judicial custody of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Member of Legislative Council (MLC) K Kavitha until April 23, 2024. This extension comes in the wake of allegations surrounding the excise policy money laundering case.
The Special Judge, Kaveri Baweja, acceded to the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), predicated on assertions that Kavitha had endeavored to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence. Advocate Nitesh Rana, representing Kavitha, countered the ED’s plea, arguing that the basis for the continued detention lacked new evidence or allegations since her initial arrest.
In a parallel development, the court declined Kavitha’s request to make personal or oral submissions, instead directing that any statements from her should be furnished in writing. The courtroom saw the representation of the ED by Advocates Zoheb Hossain, Naveen Kumar Matta, and Simon Benjamin, whereas Advocates Nitesh Rana, Deepak Rana, and Mohit Rao appeared on behalf of the accused, Kavitha.
Adding another layer to this complex legal battle, the court previously permitted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Kavitha within the confines of Tihar Jail. This inquiry is focused on scrutinizing WhatsApp conversations retrieved from Buchi Babu’s mobile device and documents related to a land transaction, allegedly connecting a payment of 100 crores to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as kickbacks.
Kavitha’s arrest by the ED on March 15, 2024, stemmed from her purported involvement in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scandal. An ED statement highlighted obstruction by Kavitha’s relatives and associates during a search at her Hyderabad residence on the day of her arrest. The investigation implicates Kavitha and her compatriots in a scheme with AAP’s senior leadership, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, aiming to secure favorable outcomes in the development and execution of the Delhi Excise policy. In return, it’s alleged that Kavitha facilitated a 100 crore rupee payment to AAP leadership.
The narrative of corruption and conspiracy extends to the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy for the year 2021-22, where illegal financial flows in the form of kickbacks were orchestrated for the AAP. The proceeds of these alleged crimes were meant to be recouped by Kavitha and associates, further entrenching the financial gains from this entire plot, as per ED’s revelations.
To date, the ED’s rigorous investigation has spanned 245 locations nationwide, resulting in the arrest of 15 individuals, including AAP’s Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Vijay Nair. Alongside a primary prosecution complaint, five supplementary complaints have been filed. The ED has managed to trace assets worth Rs 128.79 crore, believed to be proceeds of the alleged crimes, leading to their provisional attachment.
Furthermore, the ED’s filing of its initial chargesheet marks a significant milestone in the ongoing investigation, which follows a CBI FIR, itself initiated on recommendations from the Delhi Lieutenant Governor based on prima facie evidence of policy violations detailed in a report by the Delhi Chief Secretary.
Allegations from the ED and CBI suggest that the Excise Policy was manipulated to unduly benefit license holders through fee waivers, license extensions without proper authority, and diversion of illicit gains to officials, accompanied by falsified account entries to conceal these activities. An accusation of misappropriated refunds amounting to Rs 30 crore and unwarranted fee waivers purportedly led to a substantial loss to the state exchequer, further complicating the intricate web of alleged corruption within the Excise Policy’s implementation.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on K Kavitha
Click Here to Read Previous Reports of Delhi Excise Policy Scam
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