Delhi liquor scam: ED arrests KCR's daughter Kavitha; BRS cries 'political conspiracy'

Hyderabad: Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths from Delhi arrested BRS supremo K Chandrasehekar Rao's daughter, K Kavitha on Friday evening in connection with the ongoing probe into Delhi liquor scam.

Kavitha's arrest coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Hyderabad and also a roadshow in the city. BRS termed the arrest as illegal and a political conspiracy by BJP to demoralise BRS cadres just before Lok Sabha polls.

She was arrested under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003). Kavitha was initially questioned by CBI after a witness had recently named her as an accused. Kavitha has been skipping questioning by the probe agencies citing a petition filed by her to be heard by the Supreme Court.

She approached the Supreme Court over the rules to question women by ED under PMLA provisions. In the latest hearing, the Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the matter for next hearing to March 19. ED first questioned Kavitha on March 11 in 2023 after issuing summons to her for alleged money laundering.

Her arrest comes in the wake of several accused in the Delhi liquor scam case turning approvers. Those who turned approver, include, Kavitha's former aide, Arun Rama Chandra Pillai, Aurobindo Group director, P Sarath Chandra Reddy, liquor baron and YSRCP MP, Magunta Srinivasula Reddy's son, Magunta Praneeth and a few others.

The case against Kavitha charges her of being one among those who controlled the so-called 'South Group' that had been involved in framing a favourable liquor policy that allegedly benefited them and also paid kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to representatives of AAP, the ruling party in Delhi.

On Friday morning, a team of ED sleuths swooped into Kavitha's residence and conducted searches. After almost five to six hours of searches, ED issued an arrest warrant and took Kavitha into their custody. She has been taken to Delhi to appear before the Magistrate.

High drama took place at Kavitha's residence as her brother and former minister KT Rama Rao, and other family members, besides BRS workers in large numbers gathered. KTR had also argued with the ED officials and questioned how she could be arrested without producing a transit warrant and also while the supreme court was hearing her case. BRS workers also staged a sit-in and shouted anti-Modi slogans.

KCR on Wednesday had announced that someone else instead of her daughter Kavitha would fight the ensuing polls from the Nizamabad segment from where she had contested twice and won once in the past.

“The arrest is illegal. We are going to fight the cases both politically and legally. This is nothing but a political conspiracy by BJP to destabilise BRS just ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. It's undemocratic that a woman has been arrested while a petition is being heard by the Supreme Court against such coercive action. We are calling statewide protests on Saturday. The arrest is for sure a political conspiracy as it came just a day before the poll schedule to be announced,” said former minister and BRS senior leader, T Hareesh Rao.