Delhi excise policy scam: KCR's daughter Kavitha to appear before ED on March 11, links summon to her dharna

Image Source : TWITTER/@RAOKAVITHA K Kavitha to appear before ED

Delhi excise policy scam: BRS MLC and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, K Kavitha, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi liquor scam, said she would appear before the probe agency on March 11. In a late-night tweet on Wednesday Kavitha said she would be appearing before the Enforcement Directorate in New Delhi on March 11, 2023.

Kavitha has been called by the agency so that she can be confronted with Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai, an alleged frontman of the "south group", who was arrested by the ED on Monday.

The agency will record Kavitha's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during this confrontation. Pillai is in ED custody and the agency had earlier said he "represented the south group", an alleged liquor cartel linked to Kavitha and others.

The BRS leader said she would fully cooperate with the investigation agency but would seek legal opinion on the date of deposition in view of her proposed dharna in Delhi on March 10 in support of the Women's Reservation Bill.

Kavitha links summon to her upcoming dharna for Women's Reservation Bill

"Ahead of our March 10 dharna along with the opposition parties and women organisations demanding the Women's Reservation Bill at Jantar Mantar, I have been summoned by the ED on March 9th," she tweeted.

Kavitha said "these tactics of intimidation" against the fight of her father and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, and the BRS would not deter them.

The ED has Pillai's custody till March 12. He will again be produced before a Delhi court on March 13.

South group behind liquor scam in Delhi

The "south group", according to the agency, "comprises" Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Pharma), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSR Congress MP from Ongole Lok Sabha seat), Kavitha and others.

The ED also alleged in Pillai's remand papers that he "represented the benami investments" of Kavitha in this case.

The BRS leader has been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this case earlier. 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 strongly refuted by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here.

The policy was later scrapped and the Delhi Lt Governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the PMLA.

"...I have been summoned by ED to appear on March 9th in Delhi. As a law-abiding citizen, I'll fully cooperate with investigation agencies. However, due to the Dharna & prefixed appointments, I'll see legal opinions on the date of attending it," said BRS MLC Kavitha.

Earlier, a Hyderabad-based Chartered Accountant named Butchibabu Gorantla -understood to be the ex-auditor of Kavitha- was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the same case.

CBI informed in a statement on Wednesday (February 8), that the accused CA has been arrested for his alleged role in formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy and causing wrongful gain to Hyderabad-based wholesale and retail licensees and their beneficial owners.

Know more about liquor policy case:

The Delhi government's version is that the policy was formulated to ensure the generation of optimum revenue, and eradicate the sale of spurious liquor or non-duty paid liquor in Delhi, besides improving user experience. The probe was done after taking into account a report forwarded by the Chief Secretary to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommending a CBI investigation into the matter.

Following L-G's recommendation, the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Delhi Police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW) issued a notice to Delhi's Excise Commissioner asking him to provide all documents relating to the award of liquor licenses under the new excise policy.

Also, former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. Several raids were also conducted at several places in Delhi and the National Capital Region including the residence of Sisodia and the premises of four public servants last year.

(With agencies inputs)