New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Friday extended the protection from arrest for BRS MLC and daughter of former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao from arrest till March 19. However, later in the evening, she was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Kavitha moved the apex court against the Enforcement Directorate summons in connection with Delhi excise policy irregularities.
Meanwhile, the ED and the IT officials on Friday launched joint searches at BRS leader K Kavitha's residence located at Banjara Hills in Telangana's Hyderabad in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, official sources said. After the searches, the ED took Kavitha into their custody and they are shifting her later in the evening to Delhi for questioning.
A bench led by Justice Bela M Trivedi extended the protection granted to Kavitha till March 19. The ED’s counsel objected to the interim relief granted to the BRS MLC. After the ED’s counsel objected, the apex court clarified that it would not keep extending interim relief on appearances from time to time.
Extending protection till March 19, the apex court said it will consider the matter regarding the automatic extension of interim relief on March 19. Advocate P Mohith Rao, representing Kavitha before the apex court, said the matter was listed on September 16, 2023, when the Supreme Court was about to pass an order granting a specific order of protection/restraint, the additional solicitor general SV Raju, representing the ED, had then made a statement that no such action will be taken.
“The statement was sought to be retracted and taken back on March 15, 2024, when the matter has been fixed for final hearing and disposal on March 19, 2023. However, the Supreme Court did not acknowledge the same and the matter has been posted to March 19. In the wake of the above, the ED would be restrained from even summoning you or taking any coercive action”, said Rao.
On February 5, the ED had told the Supreme Court that Kavitha was avoiding summons and not appearing before the agency for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case. The Delhi liquor case has become a major irritant for the BRS, which lost the 2023 Assembly elections, in which the Congress returned to power in the southern state. BRS supreme KCR has become a target of both the national parties--Congress and BJP--amid reports that the BRS will face a crucial test in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, which has 17 Lok Sabha seats.
Read more:ED Arrests BRS MLC Kavitha, Shifting Her To Delhi For Questioning In Excise Case
