New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) took BRS leader K Kavitha into custody in Hyderabad on Friday and is taking her to Delhi for interrogation in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the Delhi excise policy scam case. Her arrest came hours after officials from the agency conducted raids at her residence in Hyderabad.
Accompanied by a significant number of party workers, BRS working president KT Rama Rao, former minister Harish Rao, and others gathered at Kavitha's residence, expressing solidarity and raising slogans in support of their leader.
Who Is K Kavitha?
K Kavitha, a prominent political figure and daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, founded Telangana Jagruthi in August 2006 to promote Telangana's culture, traditions, and festivals. She entered electoral politics in 2014, winning the Lok Sabha polls from Nizamabad. However, her failure to address grievances among turmeric farmers led to her defeat in the 2019 elections to BJP’s Dharmapuri Aravind.
After her electoral defeat, Kavitha stayed out of public view before she returned in October 2020 after she was elected to the state Legislative Council from Nizamabad. The BRS leader was re-elected to the House in December 2021 again.
How Is K Kavitha Linked To Delhi Excise Police Case?
The ED alleged Kavitha's involvement with a "South Group" lobby of liquor traders seeking influence over the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.
In December 2022, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoned her as a witness, focusing on her connections with individuals like P Sarath Chandra Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma and Gurugram-based businessman Amit Arora.
Kavitha was also questioned about her frequent changes of cell phone devices. However, the arrest of Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai prompted the ED to summon Kavitha for interrogation, aiming to confront her with Pillai, believed to be a frontman for the South Group liquor cartel implicated in shaping the excise policy.
The ‘South Group’ “secured uninhibited access, undue favours, attained stakes in established wholesale businesses and multiple retail zones (over and above what was allowed in the policy),” the ED had said in a statement.
As per the probe agency, one of the accused in the case, Vijay Nair, received kickbacks to the tune of at least Rs 100 crore from this group, allegedly controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy on behalf of the AAP leaders.
BRS Cries Foul
In response to the ED raids, BRS spokesperson Sravan Dasoju alleged that these searches were politically motivated. He claimed that both the BJP and Congress are colluding to target leaders of the K Chandrashekar Rao-led party.
Sravan Dasoju, speaking to PTI, asserted that wherever Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) raids either precede or follow. He highlighted the situation in Telangana, accusing the ED and IT of operating under the directives of the BJP to trigger chaos within the BRS.
“Wherever ( Prime Minister Narendra) Modi goes ED and IT ( Income Tax) either precedes or succeeds. That is what is happening in Telangana. They want to create a panic situation in the BRS. The ED and IT which are working at the behest of BJP are not bothered about the Congress leaders of Telangana who have illegally obtained so much wealth,” Dasoju told PTI.
Dasoju further claimed that these agencies show no concern for the wealth amassed illegally by Congress leaders in Telangana.
Questioning the BJP's silence on cases involving Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Sravan Dasoju emphasised the importance of truth prevailing. He stated that while they acknowledge the role of IT and ED in their duties, the selective targeting of the BRS amounts to vindictiveness. Dasoju also criticised the timing of these actions, alleging that they are aimed at tarnishing the BRS's image just before elections.
“We believe in Satyameva Jayate. Let the truth prevail. We are not saying that IT and ED should not do their jobs, but the selectiveness is vindictiveness. Just before the elections, they are trying to do this mudslinging to dent the image of the BRS,” PTI quoted Dasoju as saying.