Excise 'scam': Delhi court sends BRS leader K Kavitha to ED custody till Mar 23
New Delhi, Mar 16: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, allegedly a key member of the "South Group", which has been accused of paying the ruling Aam Aadmi Party kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital, was on Saturday remanded in ED custody till March 23 in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy "scam".
Kavitha, a member of the Telangana Legislative Council and daughter of former state chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was produced before Special Judge for ED cases M K Nagpal, who sent her to the custody of the federal anti-money laundering agency for a week. The ED had sought her custody for 10 days.
Kavitha, 46, was arrested from her Banjara Hills residence on Friday amid protests by BRS supporters.
Her remand came on a day Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before a metropolitan court in connection with two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for skipping summons in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.
Kejriwal, who skipped eight ED summonses before turning up at the court, was granted bail. His senior party colleagues-Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh-are in jail for their alleged involvement in formulating and implementing the excise policy 2020-21 which drastically raised the profit margins of liquor wholesalers and retailers. The ED has claimed Delhi's ruling dispensation extended them the favour in return for money.
While being produced before the judge, Kavitha termed her arrest as illegal and asserted, "We will fight it out in court."
During the hearing, senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, appearing for Kavitha along with advocate Nitesh Rana, told the judge her arrest was "illegal".
The counsel also accused the federal anti-money laundering agency of flouting the Supreme Court direction while arresting her. They claimed the apex court had directed the ED to not take any coercive action against Kavitha before it hears her plea against the summons issued by the agency to her on March 19.
"It is a black day that SC orders are violated, that an officer thinks he/she is above law," the counsel told the court.
The ED, however, said it has not made any statement before a court, including the Supreme Court, that no coercive action will be taken against Kavitha.
"There is enough evidence, witnesses' statements against K Kavitha in the case," the ED said.
The agency also accused Kavitha of destructing evidence in the case.
"We have summoned several witnesses to confront K Kavitha with," the agency told the court.
Though Kavitha has not been named as an accused in any chargesheet filed by the ED, the agency has claimed she was a key figure of the "South Group" who made benami investments in beneficiary liquor companies.
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KKR defeat LSG via Super Over
Lucknow (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants via Super Overs in a battle between two bottom-placed teams in the IPL, here on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 156, LSG suffered a batting collapse and managed to tie the contest and take it to Super Over with No. 9 Mohammed Shami striking a last-ball six against a wayward Kartik Tyagi, who leaked 16 runs in the final over.
But Sunil Narine bowled a stunning Super Over conceding just one run and taking two wickets to give KKR an easy target.
Rinku Singh then finished the chase with a boundary off first ball from Prince Yadav.
Earlier the KKR were in deep trouble with 93/7 in 15 overs but Rinku smashed a sensational 83 not out from 51 balls including four sixes in a row in the final over to lift them to 155/7.
Cameron Green (34) was the only other batter to reach double-digit scores as KKR suffered a familiar batting meltdown with Mohsin taking his maiden fifer.
In reply, LSG continued their dismal show with the bat to succumb to their fifth loss in a row.
Brief Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 155/7; 20 overs (Rinku Singh 83 not out, Cameron Green 34; Mohsin Khan 5/23). Lucknow Super Giants 155/8; 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 42). KKR won via Super Over.
