Excise policy case: BRS leader K Kavitha’s custody extended to April 23

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja allowed the plea of the Enforcement Directorate, stating that Kavitha attempted to influence the witnesses, and tampered with evidence and hence, her judicial custody should be extended by 14 days.

Hyderabad: The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of BRS MLC K Kavitha till April 23, in connection with the alleged excise policy money laundering case in Delhi. She was presented before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court on expiry of her previously granted 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja allowed the plea of the Enforcement Directorate, stating that Kavitha attempted to influence the witnesses, and tampered with evidence and hence, her judicial custody should be extended by 14 days. Recently, the same court allowed the CBI plea to question Kavitha during judicial custody in the Tihar Jail on any day of the coming week.

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Advocate Zoheb Hossain along with Naveen Kumar Matta and Simon Benjamin appeared for the Enforcement Directorate in the case while advocates Nitesh Rana, Deepak Rana and Mohit Rao appeared for Kavitha. Nitesh Rana opposed the ED plea, stating that there was nothing new since she was arrested, there were no new grounds. The application did not mention anything.

While talking to the media outside the courtroom, Kavitha said, “This is a case completely based on statement. It is a political case. This is a case of targeting the Opposition parties. The CBI has already recorded my statement in jail.”

Meanwhile, the special court refused to permit Kavitha to address personally/orally and said she could give her submissions in written form. In her four page letter, she stated that she had neither any involvement nor obtained any financial benefit from the excise policy case. “If anything, I am a victim. As the whole nation witnessed past two and half years of ‘never ending’ ED/CBI investigation has turned into a media trial. Being a woman politician, I am most victimised in the process, severely denting my personal and political reputation. My personal mobile phone number was displayed on all television channels, directly invading my privacy,” she said.

She pointed out that she had cooperated with both ED and CBI, appearing before them four times, answering all their questions and submitting all her mobile phones. She reminded that in the last two and half years, both the agencies conducted multiple raids, physically and mentally harassed, coerced, threatened and arrested many people. “But all they could accumulate are a bunch of statements from a few people, who kept changing their statements and their political alliances. The whole case is based on statements,” she added.

She also questioned the ED’s accusations that she was an influential position and had manipulated witnesses. “So why did you not arrest me when our party was in power? It (argument) does not hold any water when my party is out of power,” she stated. She said the ED arrested her based on statements, right before national elections, despite giving an undertaking of taking no coercive action in the Supreme Court.

“In this dire situation, the opposition parties are looking up to the judiciary, with great hope to give us respite. I have done nothing but to cooperate with the due process and procedure and will continue to do so. I earnestly request you to grant me bail,” she appealed.