K Kavitha, a prominent figure in the BRS party, has been remanded to judicial custody until April 23 by the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 15. This decision stems from the ongoing case related to the alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the now-defunct Delhi liquor excise policy for the year 2021-22, as investigated by the CBI.
During the hearing, the CBI presented Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, before the court. The agency sought an extension of her custody, but Kavitha’s legal representatives, including Advocate Nitesh Rana and Deepak Nagar, opposed the plea. They argued that there were insufficient grounds to justify her continued detention, asserting that she was no longer needed for custodial interrogation.
Recent developments in the case include the CBI’s interrogation of Kavitha regarding WhatsApp conversations retrieved from the phone of her co-accused, Buchi Babu. Additionally, she faced questioning concerning documents pertaining to a land deal allegedly linked to a payment of ₹100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as kickbacks to influence the excise policy in favor of a particular liquor lobby.
Moreover, on April 13, the CBI revealed to the Special Court that Kavitha purportedly exerted pressure on Aurobindo Pharma promoter Sharath Chandra Reddy to contribute ₹25 crore to the AAP. The funds were allegedly demanded in exchange for securing retail zones under Delhi’s revised excise policy. According to the CBI, Kavitha warned Reddy that failure to comply could result in adverse consequences for his business interests in Telangana and Delhi.
Kavitha was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from her residence in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, on March 15 in connection with charges related to money laundering.
