Won’t summon BRS leader K Kavitha till November 20, ED tells SC

BRS MLC Kavitha challenged the summons by the ED in Delhi excise case. She had also requested protection from arrest. The BRS leader has denied all allegations against her.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday assured the Supreme Court that it would not summon K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of Telangana chief minister, until the court heard her plea on November 20.

Additional solicitor general S V Raju submitted before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia that the Enforcement Directorate has not called her and a 10 days’ notice would be given. 

Kavitha’s counsel submitted before the court that in the previous hearing the ED said she would not be called for next ten days.

Justice Kaul told Raju that the court will have to hear the matter, and “In the meantime, don't call her”. 

The ED’s counsel agreed to it. 

During the hearing, the bench also sought to know from Kavitha’s counsel about the batch of pending pleas.

The court was informed the issue is whether a woman can be called or whether she has to be interrogated at her residence. 

“You cannot say a woman cannot be called at all whether as an accused or in whatever capacity, there has to be some safeguard,” the bench said. 

Kavitha’s counsel said he would establish it was a calculative abuse of the process and he will demonstrate it before the court.

"There are cases where there is abuse and there are cases also for a different kind, therefore there is no one line which works for all of them,” the bench said. 

The bench put the matter for further hearing on November 20.

On September 15, the Enforcement Directorate informed the Supreme Court that it would not insist on summons issued to Kavitha for her appearance in connection with the Delhi excise scam. 

BRS MLC Kavitha challenged the summons by the ED in the case. She had also requested protection from arrest. The BRS leader has denied all allegations against her.

In her plea, she contended the investigation against her is nothing more than a fishing expedition being undertaken solely at the behest of the incumbent ruling political party. 

It was alleged Kavitha held benami investment in Indospiritis, a liquor firm involved in the scam. ED alleged Arun Ramchandran Pillai represented Kavitha in Indospirits. The agencies alleged the South lobby, which included Kavitha, bribed AAP government to formulate an excise policy to facilitate the companies to win the bids and to form a cartel and control the retail outlets in Delhi. Kavitha invested money through her benamis and took back the money from the company later after getting the licenses, it was alleged.