Supreme Court posts final hearing on Kavitha’s bail plea to August 27

During the hearing, Enforcement Directorate informs apex court that it will file its counter to the BRS MLC's bail plea by August 22

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Tuesday posted the final hearing on the bail plea of BRS MLC K Kavitha in connection with the Delhi Excise policy case to August 27.

During the hearing of bail petitions on Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed the Supreme Court that it would file its counter to the BRS MLC’s bail plea in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise Policy case by August 22. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing both the ED and the CBI, informed a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan that the CBI’s counter affidavit had already been filed on Monday. He said the ED’s counter affidavit was in the pipeline and would be submitted by Friday.

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During the hearing on Tuesday, the bench said: “We would hear and decide both the matters together. We do not understand the propriety of filing counters in bail matters. In the High Courts, only case diary and everything is placed and orders are passed on the basis of papers,” the bench observed.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the BRS MLC and said she was a co-accused in the matter in which the apex court recently granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia. “She is the only woman (accused in the two cases). Investigation is complete in CBI and ED cases. (Prosecution) Complaint and charge sheet have been filed,” he said.

In a statement, Kavitha’s advocate Mohit Rao said the Supreme Court was serious about the delaying tactics of the CBI and the ED. After making certain remarks, the court has set the final hearing for Tuesday. While the ED has been asked to file its counter by Thursday, Kavitha was allowed to file a rejoinder by Friday.

On August 12, the apex court had sought responses from both the CBI and the ED on Kavitha’s pleas challenging the decision by the Delhi High Court on July 1, denying bail in two related cases.

The CBI and the ED have lodged separate cases pertaining to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the policy. The ED arrested Kavitha from her residence in Hyderabad on March 15. The CBI arrested her on April 11 from Tihar jail in connection with the corruption case. Kavitha has been lodged in the jail for more than 155 days and her judicial remand was recently extended up to September 2.