K Kavitha was arrested by an ED team on March 15. (Image: News18)
The central probe agency also informed Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court that searches are underway at Kavitha’s nephew’s house
A Delhi Court on Saturday sent BRS leader K Kavitha to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody for three more days in the liquor scam case, while the former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter filed a bail plea.
The probe agency, earlier in the day, sought five more days of remand of the BRS MLC in Rouse Avenue Court. ED also informed the court that searches were underway at Kavitha’s nephew, Mekha Saran’s house.
ED’s lawyer Zoeb Hossain noted that all the conditions for K Kavitha’s remand were complied with, adding that medical examinations had taken place every 24 hours. “Once she had high BP, medication was provided,” Hossain said.
The anti-corruption agency’s representative told the court that the BRS MLC’s statement was recorded along with four others, saying that several other co-accused’ statements were also confronted.
Hossain noted that Kavitha was “confronted” with her mobile data’s forensic report which showed deletion and formatting of data. “She conspired to pay the kickbacks of Rs 100 crores,” he said.
Following the ED’s submission, advocate Nitesh Rana — appearing for K Kavitha — filed for bail plea on behalf of the BRS leader. In response, Hossain said that “At this stage, bail won’t be maintainable,” adding that the “investigating officer is neck deep in probe”.
After hearing both the sides, the court reserved its order on the remand application.
Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court asked BRS leader K Kavitha to move trial court for bail as the apex court “cannot admit relief petition under Article 32 of the Constitution”.
Following the court’s oral observation, Kavitha’s lawyer Kapil Sibal told the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh and Bela Trivedi, “My lords, what happened in Hemant Soren? What is happening in the trial court? This cannot happen.”
However, the Bench made it clear that it unambiguously agreed that it would not let the statutory procedures bypass just because there was a political person involved.
Ultimately, the apex court was unconvinced and asked the petitioner to approach the trial court, Live Law stated.
ED arrested Kavitha on March 15 and was in its custodial interrogation for seven days, which expired on March 23 (today).
