Rama Krishna Sangem
BRS MLC Kavitha’s troubles appear far from over. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, accused of allegedly paying Rs 100 crore to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in return for liquor licences in the national capital. Currently in Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) custody at Tihar Jail, K Kavitha was arrested from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15.
This arrest follows a Delhi court’s permission for the CBI to interrogate the BRS MLA. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja allowed the CBI to visit the jail to record Kavitha’s statement after submitting a written notice to the jail superintendent the day before.
K Kavitha has been accused of being a key member in the ‘South group’, which the investigative agencies allege paid the AAP kickbacks amounting to over Rs 100 crore in return for a share of liquor licences in the Delhi. CBI too earlier issued summons to Kavitha to appear before it for questioning, but she refused to oblige citing some technical issues. Now, CBI will be grilling her in jail.
Kavitha alleges victimisation
Kavitha had on April 9, Tuesday written a letter and claimed that the investigation by central agencies and the “media trial” have hit her reputation and invaded her privacy.
“Madam Justice, as the whole nation witnessed, past two and a half years of never ending, ED and CBI investigation has turned into a media trial. Being a woman politician, I am the most victimised in the process, severely denting my personal and political reputation. My personal mobile phone number was displayed on all television channels, directly invading my privacy,” the letter said.
Kavitha’s lawyers will be appealing before the special court opposing CBI’s arrest of the MLC. Though the full import of the arrests is not known, legal experts say, she will have to get bail separately in both the cases – ED and CBI. Her grilling too is expected to take longer than the estimated period.
