Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued today that the ED is behaving like a persecution agency, as he requested a Delhi court to grant bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, who was arrested last month in the Delhi excise scam case. The next hearing is scheduled for April 4.
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NEW DELHI: Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued today in a Delhi court that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is behaving like a persecution agency, as he urged the court to grant bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, who was arrested last month in the Delhi excise scam case.
Singhvi criticized the ED’s probe against Kavitha, describing it as partial, motivated, and unfair. He accused the ED of not acting as a prosecuting agency but rather as a persecuting agency, showing no fairness or impartiality. Singhvi quipped that the ED’s repeated summons to Kavitha were akin to
“a summon a day keeps ED happy,”
drawing a parallel to the saying-
“an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
In response, Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain for the ED retorted that Singhvi’s approach was peculiar. He questioned whether Singhvi was arguing for interim bail or regular bail, asserting that he cannot argue for both simultaneously.
The ED’s counsel further stated that they are prepared to argue both aspects but emphasized that Singhvi cannot advocate for regular bail while seeking interim relief. The ED also submitted a reply opposing interim bail to the court, presided over by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja.
Singhvi, however, is yet to conclude his arguments in the matter, which is scheduled for further hearing on April 4.
Singhvi maintained that there was no necessity to arrest Kavitha in the excise case, citing instances where statements incriminating him were later retracted by the witnesses. He criticized the ED’s handling of the case, accusing them of harassment by repeatedly summoning Kavitha, even on the same day as previous appearances.
Furthermore, Singhvi criticized the ED’s alleged conduct, portraying them as a “super empire” beyond the court, the country, and the Constitution, accusing them of harassment and claiming that they trust no one except themselves.
Singhvi further asserted that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had acted unfairly by allegedly reneging on an undertaking given before the Supreme Court not to take any coercive steps against Kavitha for the time being.
“The assurance was till March 15. Let us assume that on that day you say you want to retract (the undertaking or assurance), but the court has not allowed that. Barely an hour later you come to my house? This is murder of (the ground of) ‘necessity’ to arrest,”
-Singhvi said.
Advocate Nitesh Rana, appearing for Kavitha, also urged the Court to allow provisions for home-cooked food, books, sports shoes, and prayer beads to Kavitha while she is in jail.
Kavitha was arrested on the evening of March 15 from Hyderabad, following an ED team search and interrogation at her premises. She is among the most high-profile politicians arrested by the ED in the Delhi excise policy case.
Other political figures arrested in this case include Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh. They are accused of being part of a conspiracy to manipulate the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22 in a manner that facilitated money laundering and benefited certain liquor lobby groups.
The ED alleges that Kavitha was linked to a “South Group” lobby of liquor traders seeking a larger role under the excise policy. One of the accused in the case, Vijay Nair, allegedly received kickbacks amounting to at least Rs 100 crores on behalf of AAP leaders from the “South Group,“ purportedly controlled by Sarath Reddy, K Kavitha, and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy.
Kavitha maintains her innocence and counters that the Central government is misusing the ED to gain ground in Telangana.
On March 16, the Rouse Avenue Court remanded her to ED custody for a week. On March 22, the Supreme Court denied urgent relief to her, stating that she would need to approach the trial court for bail. On March 26, she was sent to judicial custody by the trial court until April 9. Meanwhile, she filed a plea for interim bail.
In a related development, co-accused Arvind Kejriwal was sent to judicial custody until April 15 in the same case earlier today, after the ED’s custody over him expired this morning.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on K Kavitha
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