Home-cooked food, other items not provided to Kavitha: Court seeks Tihar officials' response

Earlier, Kavitha had moved a plea seeking access to some items because of her medical condition.

New Delhi: A court here has sought a response from the Tihar prison authorities on a plea by BRS leader K Kavitha alleging that despite court orders, she was not provided access to certain items, including home-cooked food and mattress, in jail.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kavitha had moved a plea seeking access to some items because of her medical condition.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja had then passed an order directing the concerned superintendent of Tihar Jail to permit Kavitha to have home-cooked food, mattress, slippers, clothes, bed­ sheet, books, blanket, pen, paper, jewellery and medicines "in accordance with rules".

Kavitha, however, filed a fresh plea on Thursday, saying the court order allowing her access to these items was not followed.

"However, in complete defiance of the order dated March 26, none of the articles as directed by the court were provided or allowed to be carried by the applicant (Kavitha)," the application said.

"Further, the applicant has not been even allowed to carry spectacles and her 'jap mala' to the jail," it said.

The plea underlined that the court’s directions allowing her access to these items were passed because she was suffering from various health ailments.

On Thursday, the judge sought a response from the Tihar prison authorities and posted the matter for further hearing on Saturday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the 'South Group' that has been accused of paying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital.

After being arrested by the central probe agency from Hyderabad, Kavitha was sent to seven-day ED custody on March 16 and it was extended by three days last Saturday.

On March 26, she was remanded in judicial custody till April 9.