NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in a supplementary chargesheet against K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, has alleged that she paid a kickback of ₹100 crore to the leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The agency also said that more than Rs 1,100 crore was laundered in the alleged Delhi excise scam.
The probe agency also claimed that Kavitha deleted crucial evidence from her phone before handing it over to them.
The ED stated in the chargesheet, “As per the investigation carried so far, Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has at least received kickbacks to the tune of ₹100 crore from a group, called South Group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Ms K Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) by various persons including Amit Arora.”
The agency further alleged that Kavitha changed 10 phones in a span of 3-4 days and deleted all the data stored on the cloud after the scam came to light.
The ED said, “The 10 phones were changed in a span of 3-4 days soon after she had her phone examined by the agency on March 11, 2023. None of these phones were produced to the agency as Kavitha claimed that they were lost. She even claimed that all the data in the phones were also deleted.” The central agency accused Kavitha of being part of the “South Group” that paid kickbacks to AAP leaders. It further alleged that Kavitha was also involved in acts of influencing the witnesses.
The chargesheet also mentioned that Kavitha’s former auditor, Butchibabu Gorantla, who was arrested in the case, revealed during interrogation that she had arranged meetings at her Hyderabad residence, where the formulation of the liquor policy and kickbacks were discussed. The ED alleged that the policy was formulated with an intention to generate illegal funds.
Delhi court extends judicial custody
A Delhi extended the judicial custody of K Kavitha till July 3. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended the custody after Kavitha was produced before the court in pursuance of its earlier order issuing a production warrant against her.
The court had issued the warrants after taking cognisance of a chargesheet against the BRS leader in the case on May 29. The court also granted bail to three co-accused persons – Prince, Damodar and Arvind Singh. The three accused were charge sheeted without being arrested during investigation by the ED.
Kavitha is in judicial custody in the two cases lodged by the ED and the CBI in the alleged scam.
The “scam” pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped.
The ED arrested Kavitha (46) from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15. The CBI arrested her from Tihar jail.
(With PTI inputs)
The probe agency also claimed that Kavitha deleted crucial evidence from her phone before handing it over to them.
The ED stated in the chargesheet, “As per the investigation carried so far, Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has at least received kickbacks to the tune of ₹100 crore from a group, called South Group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Ms K Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) by various persons including Amit Arora.”
The agency further alleged that Kavitha changed 10 phones in a span of 3-4 days and deleted all the data stored on the cloud after the scam came to light.
The ED said, “The 10 phones were changed in a span of 3-4 days soon after she had her phone examined by the agency on March 11, 2023. None of these phones were produced to the agency as Kavitha claimed that they were lost. She even claimed that all the data in the phones were also deleted.” The central agency accused Kavitha of being part of the “South Group” that paid kickbacks to AAP leaders. It further alleged that Kavitha was also involved in acts of influencing the witnesses.
The chargesheet also mentioned that Kavitha’s former auditor, Butchibabu Gorantla, who was arrested in the case, revealed during interrogation that she had arranged meetings at her Hyderabad residence, where the formulation of the liquor policy and kickbacks were discussed. The ED alleged that the policy was formulated with an intention to generate illegal funds.
Delhi court extends judicial custody
A Delhi extended the judicial custody of K Kavitha till July 3. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended the custody after Kavitha was produced before the court in pursuance of its earlier order issuing a production warrant against her.
The court had issued the warrants after taking cognisance of a chargesheet against the BRS leader in the case on May 29. The court also granted bail to three co-accused persons – Prince, Damodar and Arvind Singh. The three accused were charge sheeted without being arrested during investigation by the ED.
Kavitha is in judicial custody in the two cases lodged by the ED and the CBI in the alleged scam.
The “scam” pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped.
The ED arrested Kavitha (46) from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15. The CBI arrested her from Tihar jail.
(With PTI inputs)
Source Agencies
