New Delhi: A special court on Tuesday issued release warrants for Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) respectively in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy.
Special judge issued release order after being informed that apex court has granted bail to Kavitha in CBI, ED cases
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the release order after the court was informed that the BRS leader was granted bail earlier in the day by the Supreme Court in both the cases.
What did the apex court say while granting Kavitha bail in CBI, ED cases?
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan granted bail to Kavitha in both cases noting that her custody in cases was no longer required as the central agencies have completed their probe against her in both cases. The bench also noted that there was no likelihood of the trial being concluded in the near future, as 493 witnesses were to be examined and 50,000 pages of documents were to be considered in both the cases.
The apex court, while granting Kavitha bail in both the cases, questioned the central agencies for its unfairness in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam probe and adopting a “pick and choose method” in making people accused or witnesses.
Kavitha had moved the apex court challenging the July 1 Delhi High Court order refusing to grant her bail in both the cases.
“The impugned judgment and order dated 01.07.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge of the High Court of Delhi in Bail Application No.1675 of 2024 and Bail Application No.1739 of 2024 are quashed and set aside,” the apex court said in its order and added, “The appellant is directed to be released forthwith on bail …..on furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs.10,00,000 in each of the cases.”
The apex court directed Kavitha not to make any attempt to tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses, to deposit her passport with the trial judge and regularly attend the trial court and cooperate with the expeditious disposal of the trial.
Kavitha was first arrested by ED from her Hyderabad house on March 15
Kavitha, who is the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was first arrested by the ED in the money laundering case from her Hyderabad house on March 15 and later the CBI arrested her in the corruption case from Tihar Jail on April 11.