The central investigation agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday detained Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha after a raid at the Hyderabad premises as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said.
Reacting against ED's move of raiding her premises, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party workers staged protest in Hyderabad.
The 45-year-old BRS leader was seen flashing the victory sign and waving at her supporters before the probe agency took her away.
According to senior BRS leader Prasanth Reddy, Kavitha will be taken to Delhi later tonight.
"What they (ED officials) informed us in the house is that we will take you (Kavitha) to Delhi by 8.45 pm flight. It appears that they had decided to take her into custody and even booked a flight ticket for Kavitha even before they came here," Reddy said.
What did the arrest order say?
As per the official arrest order issued by Assistant Director of Enforcement Directorate, K Kavitha committed an offence punishable under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
"In exercise of the power conferred under the PMLA, Kalvakuntla Kavitha was arrested at 05:20 PM on 15.03.2024. She has been duly informed of the grounds for her arrest," the warrant read.
"Additionally, a copy of the grounds of arrest, containing 14 pages, has also been served upon her," it added.
However, it is yet to be disclosed if the action was associated with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy in which the ED has questioned the BRS MLC and daughter of former Telangana chief minister Chandrashekar Rao earlier as well.
Kavitha's brother KT Rama Rao confronts ED officials
Alleging that the arrest was in defiance of Supreme Court's order that granted Kavitha immunity from interrogation, her brother and former Telangana minister KT Rama Rao was seen confronting the ED officials.
“You have given an undertaking in Supreme Court and now you are violating it. You are in serious trouble,” KTR said.
"Search is over and an arrest warrant is produced, and now she says family cannot come in. She also says that she has no transit warrant, she cannot produce before a magistrate but she wants to make the case (sic)", he further added accusing the probe agency.
Delhi Excise Policy link
The ED had claimed Kavitha was linked to a 'south group' named lobby of liquor traders who were trying to play a larger role under the now scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.
