Telangana: ED arrests BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha amidst high drama

Hundreds of BRS workers gathered at Kavitha's house, as the ED officials reached the house in the afternoon and by evening, party working president KT Rama Rao and legislator Harish Rao reached the house

Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested BRS MLC K Kavitha after conducting searches at her residence in Hyderabad in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Immediately thereafter, she has been shifted to Delhi for further questioning with regard to an investigation into the money laundering linked to the excise policy case.

Sources said the arrest was confirmed at 5.20 pm after the Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing till March 19 on Kavitha’s plea against ED summons.

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On Friday morning, the officials of the Central agency raided the houses of the BRS legislator and conducted searches till evening, before taking her into custody. They intimated the family members that Kavitha was being arrested as “…believed that … she was guilty of offence of money laundering under section 3 and 4 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).” Later, the officials arrested her under Section 19 of PMLA at 5.20 pm on Friday and also seized five mobile phones.

Tension escalated outside Kavitha’s residence in the evening as BRS leaders and activists gathered in large numbers upon learning about her arrest and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the ED. The police were deployed in huge numbers along with personnel from Central forces, to provide a safe passage for the ED officials along with Kavitha.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao along with senior leader T Harish Rao reached Kavitha’s residence, but were stopped outside for sometime. However, they were allowed entry after the legal teams questioned them on the grounds of her arrest.

In a video shared on social media, KT Rama Rao was seen questioning the investigation officers terming the arrest as “illegal” which was being done in a premeditated manner on a Friday evening, considering the closure of courts during the weekend. He demanded to know how the officials could arrest her after giving an undertaking in the Supreme Court that she will not be arrested until further orders.

He said the ED officials were denying the family members entry into the house even after completing the searches and arresting Kavitha. He strongly objected to the arrest after the officials informed that they had no transit warrant and had no plans to produce her before the magistrate. He urged the party activists not to lose hope and also maintain peace as the party will fight it legally and democratically.

Speaking to mediapersons, BRS party secretary and legal cell head Soma Bharat Kumar said when the ED officials were questioned about the arrest days before the Supreme Court hearing in connection with her petition on the case, the officials asked them to pursue legal remedies. “This is brazen violation of the undertaking given by the ED to the Supreme court which is illegal and unlawful especially ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on March 19. They arrested Kavitha illegally without a transit warrant from the magistrate. We will fight it legally,” he asserted.

BRS leader and former minister V Prashanth Reddy alleged that the Modi government resorted to the action to create fear among BRS leaders ahead of Lok Sabha elections. He claimed that the ED team came to her residence with a plan to arrest her after booking flights tickets.