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 Chief MinisterKChandrashekarRao, was produced before Special Judge for ED cases M KNagpal, 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 onFriday 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 bytheEnforcementDirectorate against him for skipping summons in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Excise Policy scam. Whilebeingproducedbefore 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 withadvocateNiteshRana,told the judge her arrest was “illegal”.The counsel also accused the federal anti-money laundering agency of flouting the SupremeCourtdirectionwhile arrestingher.Theyclaimedthe apexcourthaddirectedtheED to nottake 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 ordersareviolated,thatanofficerthinkshe/sheisabovelaw,” the counsel told the court.

 

The ED, however, said it has notmadeanystatementbefore acourt,includingtheSupreme 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 Kavithaofdestructingevidence in the case. “We have summoned several witnesses to confront K Kavitha with,” the agency told the court. ThoughKavithahasnotbeen named as an accused in any chargesheet filed, the agency has claimed she was a key figure of the “South Group” who made benami investments in beneficiary liquor companies.