The BRS leader K. Kavitha’s custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been extended till March 26 by the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. During her appearance in court on Saturday, Kavitha contested the legality of her arrest, vowing to challenge it through legal channels.
Addressing reporters, Kavitha asserted, “This arrest is unlawful, and we intend to contest it in court. It’s a politically motivated, fabricated, and baseless case. We will fight this. The repeated questioning adds nothing new.”
Expressing concern over the timing of arrests during election periods, Kavitha called for the intervention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the court’s ruling.
Kavitha’s appearance before the Special Judge was in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case, as her ED custody came to an end on the same day. The ED had requested a five-day extension of her remand, citing ongoing searches at her nephew’s residence, Mekha Saran.
Earlier, the Supreme Court declined Kavitha’s bail plea in the Delhi excise policy case, directing her to approach the trial court for bail expeditiously. The court emphasized the need for a uniform policy and discouraged direct bail applications to the apex court, particularly from political figures.
Challenging her arrest and remand, Kavitha moved the Supreme Court through her advocate P. Mohith Rao, arguing violations of Article 141 and Section 19(1) of the PMLA Act.
The ED alleged Kavitha’s involvement in a conspiracy with top AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, regarding Delhi’s Excise Policy. They claimed she facilitated illicit payments amounting to Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders in exchange for favorable policy decisions.
In response to Kavitha’s arrest, CM Arvind Kejriwal was also remanded to ED custody until March 28, following his arrest a day prior. Additionally, senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are already in judicial custody in connection with the same case.
