Bharath Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Saturday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi Excise policy case.
Kavitha, who is the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appeared before the financial probe agency sleuths in the national capital at around 10.40 a.m. While entering the ED headquarters here greeted the media and her party workers with a clenched fist gesture.
Her statement is being recorded by the ED in connection with the case.
This is for the first time that the ED is questioning Kavitha, who is also an MLC.
Earlier she was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on December 11 last year.
The ED had summoned Kavitha to appear before it on March 9, however, citing her pre-scheduled program of protest over the Women’s Reservation Bill at Jantar Mantar on March 10 had requested the agency for March 16 date. But the ED again asked her to appear on March 11.
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While addressing a press conference in the national capital on Thursday, she had accused the BJP-led government of misusing Central agencies ahead of polls.
Mocking Central agencies, the BRS leader said that they prepare the groundwork before PM Modi sets foot in poll-bound states for campaigning.
“I want to ask PM Modi, to share the work they have done for the people and to win their hearts. We didn’t allow their plan to succeed in Telangana and we will fight and won’t get scared,” she said.
She also pointed out the extensions being given to the ED director SK Mishra and other top officials of SEBI and SBI.
“It is being done so that they act on the orders given by them (BJP leaders),” she added.
The ED has mentioned the name of Kavitha in its charge sheet. It has also been alleged that she changed her 10 phones in the last 2 years and was also part of the South Group in the excise policy case.
In its remand report, the ED alleged that Pillai had represented Kavitha’s “benami interests” in a firm in which he’s a partner.
The ED also alleged that Buchi Babu, a former aide of Kavitha in his statement to ED on February 23 this year had stated that “there was a political understanding between Kavitha and the CM (Arvind Kejriwal) and Dy CM (Manish Sisodia) of Delhi.
In that process, Kavitha also met AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair on 19th-20th March 2021.
ED said that Buchi in his statement revealed that Nair was trying to impress Kavitha with what he could do in the policy. Nair was acting on behalf of Kejriwal and Sisodia. Nair was working on the Excise Policy on their behalf, the ED had alleged citing the statement of Babu.
ED has to date arrested 12 people in connection with the case including Sisodia who was sent to seven days of ED custody till March 17 by a Court on Friday.