A Delhi court on July 8 issued a notice to the CBI seeking its response on the default bail plea filed by K Kavitha who was booked by the agency in connection with the now scrapped Delhi excise policy scam. Advocate Nitesh Rana, who represented Kavitha, submitted in the court of special judge (PC ACT), Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court, that she is seeking a default bail on grounds that the chargesheet filed by the CBI was incomplete and defective.
Kavitha was arrested on March 15. ED called Kavitha one of the prime movers of giving bribes. The central agency claimed that Kavitha is not only responsible for arranging kickbacks in advance but also beneficiary through Indo Spirits.
On March 26, Kavitha was sent into judicial custody till April 9. She was arrested on March 15 by the ED. Her judicial custody has been extended from time to time.
A former MP and BRS leader Kavitha, who is also the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was arrested for being part of the ‘South Group’ that allegedly benefitted from the now scrapped Delhi Excise Policy brought in by the AAP government in Delhi.
The ED claims that the South Group got uninhibited access, undue favours, and secured stakes in established wholesale businesses and multiple retail zones (over and above what was allowed in the policy). The ED has alleged that the now scrapped new excise policy was implemented by the AAP leaders as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12% to certain private companies in alcohol business.
Earlier on April 8, the Delhi court had dismissed an interim bail application moved by K Kavitha. Kavitha had sought interim bail on the grounds of the school examinations of her minor son. The Enforcement Directorate had opposed her bail plea saying that concessions provided for women under law are not applicable to women politicians like K Kavitha.