On Saturday, March 11, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and MLC K Kavitha appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy Scam.
Arun Ramachandran Pillai, another accused in the scam who is already in custody was confronted with K Kavitha who arrived at the ED headquarters located on APJ Abdul Kalam Road from her father’s official residence on Tughlak Road at around 11 am. A woman ED official was present during the questioning.
Reportedly, Kavitha was questioned about the alleged destruction of a phone she used during the time the scam took place.
Arun Ramachandran Pillai has withdrawn his statement before the Enforcement Directorate. The ED now relies on Gorantla Butchi Babu, Kavitha’s former auditor, who admitted to attending multiple meetings with Kavitha and engaging in WhatsApp chats.
Arun Ramachandran Pillai moved a city court accusing the ED of fabricating his statements in the case. According to the ED, he is a close aide of K Kavitha as well as an alleged frontman for the “South Group” liquor cartel.
The major accusation against Kavitha is that she had a benami interest in Indospiritis, a liquor company that was involved in the scam. Arun Ramachandran Pillai is accused by the ED of representing K Kavitha.
BRS protests against BJP’s Bandi Sanjay Kumar
Meanwhile, several BRS workers staged a protest against BJP’s Bandi Sanjay over his alleged derogatory remarks against K Kavitha.
Leaders of BRS held protests in Hyderabad and New Delhi seeking strict action against the BJP leader.
Several BRS women leaders from the Secunderabad Cantonment filed a complaint with the Begumpet police station, demanding that the police take action against him. Other police stations also received complaints, including Vanasthalipuram and SR Nagar. Party leaders and members of the cadre also staged protests at other intersections. The protesting BRS members raised slogans against Bandi Sanjaya and demanded the BJP state president apologize to Kavitha Kalvakunthla.
Telangana | BRS cadres protest against State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay over his reported derogatory comments against BRS MLC K Kavitha. The protesters also burnt his effigy. pic.twitter.com/DCLXJZGy7S
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023
The BJP president reportedly told the reporters, “Would they kiss her if not arrest her,” in response to a question on whether Kavitha will be arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor scam.
BJP hits back
According to a clarification from Bandi Sanjay’s office, the BJP leader used a standard Telugu expression to ask if it would be appropriate to reward or punish someone for committing a crime.
Some of Bandi Sanjay’s statements from three days ago are being blown out of proportion. According to a statement from the Telangana BJP president’s office, this common Telugu expression refers to whether to reward or punish a person who has done some crime.”
The CM’s daughter has been called by the ED in accordance with the Delhi Excise policy case, therefore this is a distraction tactic to incite unrest in the state, the statement said.
In a tweet posted on Friday, Bandi Sanjay Kumar called the Kalvakunthla family ‘hypocrites’.”Women politicians are unsafe from BRS predators. Ironically TS CM’s daughter is protesting in Delhi, even as KCR fails to take action against BRS legislators being accused of sexual harassment by women leaders. Kalvakuntla Family of Hypocrites,” Bandi Sanjay tweeted.
Women politicians are unsafe from BRS predators.
— Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) March 10, 2023
Ironically TS CM’s daughter is protesting in Delhi, even as KCR fails to take action against BRS legislators being accused of sexual harassment by women leaders.
Kalvakuntla Family of Hypocrites pic.twitter.com/TlgYqDrkrM
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia took a dig at K Kavitha over her alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy scam saying that she will only play the victim card.
“If it is an honest person, who is not involved in any law-defying act, they’ll clearly say so without ifs or buts. But K Kavitha is being questioned & she hasn’t said anything like that. They’ll play the victim card but won’t answer the public’s questions. So, it should be asked again if she has anything to do with Indospirits. She will have to say if she has anything to do with Buchi Babu. It seems that this corruption is so massive that when all links are getting connected, people too are pained that these corrupt people looted them & filled their own coffers,” Bhatia said in a press conference on Saturday.
So, it should be asked again if she has anything to do with Indospirits. She will have to say if she has anything to do with Buchi Babu. It seems that this corruption is so massive that when all links are getting connected, people too are pained that these corrupt people looted… https://t.co/cxBNGaRuWm
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023
The ‘South Group’
It is notable that a Delhi court on Friday remanded former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia to ED custody till 17th March 2023. its remand notice presented before the court while seeking the custody of the AAP leader revealed that Sisodia tweaked the excise policy according to the whims of the ‘South Group’ in exchange for an upfront payment of Rs 100 crore.
According to the agency, the “south group” includes K. Kavitha, the leader of the BRS, and others in addition to Aurobindo Pharma promoter Sarath Reddy and YSR Congress member Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy from the Ongole Lok Sabha constituency. K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter K Kavitha.
