A Delhi Court extended judicial custody of Bharat Rashtra Samithi K. Kavitha till April 23 in a money laundering case registered in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The Court had denied interim bail for Kavitha on Monday.
Special Judge for CBI and Enforcement Directorate cases Kaveri Baweja allowed ED’s plea to extend judicial custody of Kavitha by 14 days. ED said in Court that Kavitha made attempts to influence witnesses and tampered with evidence in the case, ANI reported. Leaving the Court premises, Kavitha said, “It is a political case. It is a case completely targeting the opposition parties. CBI has already taken my statement in the jail,” PTI reported.
In a letter submitted in Court seeking bail, Kavitha said she neither has any involvement nor has made any financial benefits in the case. “Past 2.5 years of never ending ED/CBI investigation has turned into a media trial,” she said. Kavitha charged her personal mobile phone number was shown on all television channels, invading her privacy.
Kavitha said she has fully cooperated with the investigation and added she the entire case is based on a few statements. She added no money trail has been established in the case. The BRS leader alleged, “Today, 95 pc cases of ED/CBI are on (against) opposition party leaders. When the accused joins the BJP, the investigation abruptly stops.”
Kavitha said she is a dutiful mother. “I’m a highly qualified person, hence understand the importance of my role while my minor son is preparing for board examinations and aptitude tests,” she said. “Madam, it is a make or break year for my son, from an education perspective. I fear my absence might have a negative impact on him,” she added.
Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, has been accused of being a key member of the "South Group", which allegedly paid the ruling AAP in Delhi kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital under the now scrapped liquor policy.
The ED has also arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and a few other Aam Aadmi Party leaders in connection with the case.
