BRS MLC Kavitha grilled for nearly 11 hours by ED

For nearly 11 hours, Kavitha was questioned by ED officials and was let go around 9.15 pm, there were speculations of her arrest which led to a tense atmosphere outside the ED office

Hyderabad: BRS MLC K Kavitha on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to record her statement for second time in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. She reached the ED office at around 10.30 am and remained there for questioning till 9 pm.

For nearly 11 hours, Kavitha was questioned by ED officials and was let go around 9.15 pm. As the investigation ran till late in the night, there were speculations of her arrest which led to a tense atmosphere outside the ED office. However, the ED officials are learnt to have asked her to come for questioning again. The dates are likely to be announced later.

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Since this morning, a tense situation prevailed outside the ED office. However, as Kavitha did not return even after 6 pm, several BRS leaders started reaching the ED office. They waited outside even as it started raining in Delhi. Later in the evening, Additional Advocate General Ramchandra Rao, BRS general secretary Soma Bharat Kumar and advocate Gandra Mohan Rao arrived at the Central agency’s office, followed by arrival of a medical team. However, they were all said to have waited in the visitor’s lounge.

The BRS MLC was first summoned by the Central agency for recording her statement in the case on March 11 following which she was summoned again on March 16. However, she deffered the deposition citing her pending plea before the Supreme Court for relief against the ED action in the case. The case has been posted for hearing in the Apex Court on March 24. However, the ED authorities summoned her again to join the investigation on March 20.

While the BRS legislator’s statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Kavitha asserted that she had done nothing wrong and the BJP was misusing the ED to harass the BRS and establish itself politically in Telangana.

Earlier speaking to mediapersons in Delhi earlier, BRS MPs G Ranjith Reddy and B Venkatesh Netha stated that Kavitha, as a responsible and law-abiding citizen, was appeared before the ED office. “She did not appear on March 16, as the ED has not been following the law and made her sit at their office for nine hours till 8 pm. She was forced to approach the Supreme Court, as the ED was harassing her by violating the rights. This is clearly a conspiracy of the Modi government,” they said.