All ED lock-ups in Delhi occupied, BRS leader Kavitha’s arrest unlikely till Thursday

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Ranjan

New Delhi, March 19

Political circles are abuzz that BRS leader K Kavitha may be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) when she appears before it on Monday, but sources say it may not happen as all four lock-ups in the agency premises are occupied with accused in different cases.

The sources said one or two lock-ups might be vacated by Thursday evening to accommodate new accused. Currently four high-profile accused — former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Arun Ramchandra Pillai in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy ‘scam’ and TMC leader Anubrata Mandal and his chartered accountant Manish Kothari in connection with the West Bengal cattle smuggling case — are in the lock-ups. The sources said all the accused are being kept in separate lock-ups to avoid any communication among them.

The ED headquarters was shifted from Khan Market area to Janpath, where four lock-ups were constructed in the new building. Earlier, when the ED headquarters was located at Khan Market area, the accused were kept in Tughlaq Road police station at night.

The ED is questioning Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao’s daughter in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The ED filed a caveat in the Supreme Court on the Kavitha’s plea challenging the summons issued by the probe agency.

A caveat application is filed by a litigant to ensure that no adverse order is passed against them without being heard.

On March 15, the apex court had agreed to hear Kavitha’s plea challenging the summons of the ED on March 24.

Four accused lodged

One or two lock-ups may be vacated by Thursday evening. Currently four accused — former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Arun Ramchandra Pillai in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, and TMC leader Anubrata Mandal and his chartered accountant Manish Kothari in connection with the West Bengal cattle smuggling case — are in the lock-ups. Sources