Hyderabad: In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, March 15 arrested Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha at 5: 20 pm in Hyderabad after raids at her residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
Her husband Anil Kumar has been informed about the arrest, ED said.
A case was registered by the central agency as per section 3 and section 4 of the PMLA Act which said that its investigation found the BRS MLC guilty under the above mentioned provisions.
Section 3 of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 defines the offense of money laundering, stating that anyone who directly or indirectly attempts to indulge, knowingly assists, or is a party to such activities is guilty of money laundering.
On the other hand, Section 4 of the same act specifies the punishment for the offense of money laundering, stating that whoever commits this offense shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term not less than three years.
Kavitha to be taken to Delhi
Visuals of Kavitha being moved from her residence by ED officials surfaced online.
Senior BRS leader and former minister Prasanth Reddy quoting ED officials said Kavitha will be taken to Delhi tonight.
“What they 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 told reporters at the BRS MLC’s residence.
The move by the central agency comes one day ahead of the announcement of dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls across the country.
After news of her being taken into custody, BRS cadres sat on protests outside her residence sloganeering against the ED and the BJP. A CRPF team is accompanying the ED team to ensure the safety of the officials.
KTR argues with ED officials
A video of BRS working president and Kavitha’s brother KT Rama Rao (KTR) who arrived at the residence along with Harish Rao arguing with ED officials and alleging the lack of a ‘transit order’ necessary for her arrest.
The ED team can be seen arguing with the BRS leaders cannot enter inside the house.
“Madam Bhanupriya Meena (ED official) says that the search is over and an arrest warrant is produced and now she says we can’t come in (into the residence)….family cannot come in and she also says that she has no transit warrants that she cannot produce before a magistrate but she wants to make a case. Listen, you have given an undertaking in the Supreme Court and now you are violating it. You are in serious trouble,” KTR can be heard saying, to which, one of the ED officials said, “you always have the legal remedy, never said that…”
KTR then alleged that the ED chose to arrive on a Friday keeping in mind that the courts don’t function on the weekend.
Will cooperate with probe: BRS
In a press release, BRS leaders and Kavitha’s family members stated that they would fully cooperate with the ED officials in the course of the investigation.
“The illegal arrest of Kavitha will be resisted through the law in a peaceful and democratic manner,” the party said.
KTR and Harish Rao also requested BRS cadres to not block Kavitha’s arrest and conduct themselves in a peaceful manner, the BRS said.
Kavitha’s lawyer writes to her
Kavitha’s advocate P Mohith Rao wrote to her after the arrest about the development in the Supreme Court on Friday regarding her case and said the ED cannot take coercive action.
