In the midst of a high-profile scandal concerning Delhi's liquor policy, central investigative agency CBI has apprehended BRS party leader K. Kavitha. Currently, Kavitha faces judicial custody in an Enforcement Directorate case. Previously, ED operatives arrested her from her Hyderabad residence last month.
Kavitha, a leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, has found no respite in court either. Her interim bail plea, filed citing her 16-year-old son's ongoing examinations, was dismissed by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. Following the arguments presented by Kavitha's and ED's lawyers, the court reserved its order on April 4.
Amid these events, the narrative unfolds on how Kavitha got entangled in the Delhi liquor scam and the specific allegations that led to her arrest.
Links to the 'South Group' Lobby
ED alleges that K. Kavitha was linked with liquor businessmen known as the 'South Group' lobby who played a significant role in Delhi government's 2021-22 excise policy. Accusations suggest that Vijay Nair, implicated in the liquor scam, received bribes amounting to at least 100 crores from the 'South Group.' This amount was purportedly channeled to leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party.
Confrontation and Claims
In a dramatic confrontation, ED had previously arranged for Kavitha to face Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, who is also under arrest. Pillai is considered a close associate of Kavitha. Despite claims of untainted conduct and suggestions of political misuse of the ED by the central government, her connection to the case deepens.
The Downward Spiral
As per ED, in December 2022, Amit Arora, another accused, hinted at a 100 crore bribe to AAP leaders by ‘South Group.’ Subsequently, the CBI and ED's intensive inquiry has led to multiple arrests, including that of Pillai, who claimed a financial accord between Kavitha's company ‘Indospirits’ and AAP, granting her entry into Delhi's liquor business. A meeting attended by Kavitha, Nair, and Dinesh Arora was reportedly called to deliberate on the recovery of bribes.
