New Delhi, March 16 -- BRS leader K Kavitha, allegedly a key member of the 'South Group', which has been accused of paying the ruling AAP kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital, was on Saturday remanded in ED custody till March 23 in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy "scam".
Kavitha, a member of the Telangana Legislative Council and daughter of former state chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was produced before Special Judge for ED cases M K Nagpal, who sent her to the custody of the federal anti-money laundering agency for a week. The ED had sought her custody for 10 days.
Kavitha, 46, was arrested from her Banjara Hills residence on Friday amid protests by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supporters. While sending her to ED custody, the judge said the need for her custodial interrogation was felt to be there as it has been observed that investigation has come to a halt because of her alleged non-co operation. "The involvement of accused in commission of the alleged offence of money laundering and the crucial role played by her are duly reflected from records and the case file produced by IO before this court and the need for her custodial interrogation is also felt to be there as it has been observed that investigation has come to a halt because of non joining thereof by the accused or her alleged non-co operation therein and she is required to be interrogated to trace out the trail of a major portion of the proceeds of crime," the judge said.
On accused's arguments that ED violated Supreme Court's directions, the judge said that "effecting arrest of the accused amounts to contempt of any order or not is a question which has to be decided by the Supreme Court itself and not by this court."
"Keeping in view the nature of allegations levelled against accused and the role played by her in commission of the alleged offence, there is a need for remanding her to ED custody for the purposes of investigation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.