The questioning of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha in the Delhi liquor scam case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continued for seven hours at her residence in the Banjara Hills area on Sunday.
A team of CBI officials, including a woman, recorded Kavitha’s statement at her Banjara Hills residence. The officials arrived in two vehicles amid tight security around 11 AM.
Kavitha requested her supporters and BRS leaders not to gather at her house, so the surroundings were deserted before the CBI officials arrived.
Barricades were erected to prevent any gatherings, as these might be seen as attempts to obstruct the CBI’s investigation.
The CBI recorded Kavitha’s statement under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The notice mentioned that the case was registered based on a written complaint from Praveen Kumar Rai, a director in the Union Home Ministry, regarding allegations concerning the excise policy of Delhi for 2021-22.
“During the course of the investigation of the cited case, certain facts have emerged that you may be acquainted with, so your examination of these facts is required for the sake of the investigation,” the notice read.
Kavitha had initially agreed to the CBI’s request to meet them on December 6. However, she later wrote a letter to the agency seeking copies of the complaint from the Union Home Ministry and the FIR. In reply, the CBI informed her that a copy of FIR and complaint is available on the website.
Kavitha, in her response on December 5, conveyed to the central agency that she had carefully gone through the content of the FIR, list of accused persons as well as the contents of the complaint but found that her name does not figure in any manner whatsoever.
She had conveyed to the central agency that she is not in a position to meet them on December 6 and proposed alternate dates.
On November 30, Kavitha’s name surfaced in the remand report filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Delhi court for the remand of businessman Amit Arora in the Delhi liquor policy scam.
According to the remand report, businessman Vijay Nair, who has already been arrested in the case, received kickbacks of Rs. 100 crore on behalf of AAP leaders from a group called the “South Group” controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha, and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy. Sarath Reddy, one of the directors of pharma major Aurobindo Pharma, has already been arrested.
(With IANS inputs)
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