New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on pleas moved by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha seeking bail in corruption and money laundering cases registered in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy.
A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan issued notice to the central agencies, returnable August 20.
Kavitha has moved apex court challenging Delhi high Court order
Kavitha has moved the top court against Delhi High Court orders refusing to grant her bail in both case, saying no case for grant of regular bail to her was made for now in both the cases as the investigation is at a crucial stage.
Kavitha urged the High Court to grant her bail in both cases, submitting that she is the lone woman out of the 50 accused in the cases related to alleged excise policy “scam” and that law keeps women on a different pedestal.
Central agencies opposed Kavitha’s bail pleas in High Court
The central agencies, however, opposed Kavitha’s bail pleas, submitting that the BRS leader was highly influential and powerful to influence the witnesses. The central agencies further said that Kavitha played a key role in the conspiracy behind the excise policy “scam” and that she is an active politician and a member of the Telangana Legislative Council and she cannot seek parity with vulnerable women.
The central agencies further told the High Court that the BRS leader was not just a woman but a very influential woman and powerful enough to influence and that she was a co-conspirator and a beneficiary of the excise policy “scam” and the proceeds of crime were directly going to her. The agencies had further alleged that Kavitha was involved in destruction of evidence and coercing people to retract from their statements.
Kavitha is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail
Kavitha, who is the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in the judicial custody in both – money laundering and corruption – cases.
The ED arrested Kavitha in the money laundering case from her Hyderabad house on March 15 and later she was arrested by the CBI in the corruption case from Tihar Jail on April 11.