Delhi excise policy case: BRS leader Kavitha appears before ED

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter, K Kavitha today deposed before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

The investigating agency is expected to confront her with an arrested accused and record her statement in connection with its money-laundering probe in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, according to reports. The agency will also record Kavitha's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The 44-year-old Telangana MLC arrived at the federal agency's headquarters on APJ Abdul Kalam Road from her father's official residence on Tughlak Road, located about 1.5 kilometres away, around 11 am. The federal agency had earlier asked Kavitha to depose on March 9, but upon her request, ED rescheduled the questioning for today.


There was a heavy presence of Delhi Police and central paramilitary forces personnel for barricading the ED office even as the supporters of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader staged a protest on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, news wire agency PTI reported.

Earlier, Kavitha launched a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the national capital demanding the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in the current Budget session of Parliament.

'The South Group'
According to reports, Kavitha will be made to sit face-to-face with Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, who was arrested in connection with the liquor policy case on Monday night. Pillai is in ED custody effectively till March 12 and will be produced before a court again on March 13.

Pillai allegedly is one of the key persons in the entire scam and representated the so called South Group. As per ED, he paid huge kickbacks amounting to about Rs 100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to gain a larger share of the market in the national capital under the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2020-21.

As per ED, the South Group comprises Telangana MLC Kavitha, Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Group), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (MP, Ongole), his son Raghav Magunta, and others.

ED has also recorded the statement of Butchi Babu, a chartered accountant allegedly linked to Kavitha.

Butchi Babu has been arrested by the CBI.

According to Butchi Babu's statement, Nair was "trying to impress Kavitha with what he could do in the (excise) policy".

"Vijay Nair was acting on behalf of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia," the statement recorded by the ED read.

About the alleged scam
The ED has so far arrested 12 people in the case, including former Delhi deputy chief minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia.

The case relates to the excise policy that was passed by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet in the middle of the deadly Delta Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.

The CBI had filed a case against alleged corruption in the case. The excise policy was subsequently withdrawn by the AAP government.

Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers, unknown public servants and private persons have also been booked in the case.

It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in the Excise Policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval etc.