In yet another setback for Bhartiya Rashtra Samiti leader K Kavitha, the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed her bail plea in the Excise policy case filed by the CBI and linked money laundering case filed by the ED. The High Court decision comes two days before the ending of her judicial custody.
Earlier on June 3, the Delhi Court extended their judicial custody till July 3. K Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) was arrested by the ED on March 15 from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15.
The ED has accused her of being a key member of the 'South Group' that has been accused of paying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. The license were issued as part of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. The agency earlier said Kavitha was "one of the kingpins, a key conspirator and beneficiary of the Delhi excise policy scam". The excise case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22.
On May 29, the Rouse Avenue Court took cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate's supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) filed against Kavitha and others in connection with the case. The chargesheet was filed against Kavitha and other accused namely Chanpreet Singh, Damodar, Prince Singh and Arvind Kumar. Later, CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet against her and other accused on June 7.
Notably, the matter relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22. It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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