Kavitha sent to judicial remand till April 23, moves bail plea

Though the CBI sought 14-day judicial remand, the Special Court awarded only nine days of judicial custody.

Hyderabad: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Monday sent BRS MLC K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 23 in connection with a PMLA case linked to the Delhi excise policy case. She was produced before the court on the expiry of her three-day CBI custody granted earlier.

Though the CBI sought a 14-day judicial remand, Special Judge (PC Act) Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court granted only nine days of judicial custody. The CBI, which argued that Kavitha did not cooperate with them during interrogation, told the court that she was not required for further custodial interrogation.

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Speaking to media on the court premises earlier, Kavitha said she was not in CBI custody, but “BJP custody”. “The CBI is asking the same questions repeatedly for the last two years. Nothing new. They are asking about what the BJP leaders are saying in public,” she said.

The BRS leader was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15 and sent to judicial custody after the ED questioned her in connection with the money laundering case linked to the excise policy case. She has been lodged in Tihar jail where the CBI arrested her on corruption charges in connection with the same case on April 11. She was placed in CBI remand for three days and has been now sent to judicial custody once again.

Meanwhile, Kavitha moved a bail plea in the trial court which asked the CBI to respond to her application by April 20. The court will hear the matter on April 22.

In her application seeking regular bail in the CBI case, Kavitha among other grounds has alleged that she was arrested to deprive and her party the level playing field in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. She argued that her arrest by ED just a day before the election schedule is declared and by CBI, less than 10 days before the commencement of the nomination process in Telangana, is not a mere coincidence.

Kavitha reiterated that she had nothing to do with the Delhi Excise Policy and was not even remotely connected to it. She also cited her medical condition to pray for bail and said that after arrest by ED, she has been diagnosed with hypertension.