Delhi Excise Policy Scam: Supreme Court to hear BRS leader’s plea on March 24

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 15

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a plea by Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha’s petition seeking protection from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case relating to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

“Can a woman be called to the office of the Enforcement Directorate? It’s completely against the law,” her counsel told a Bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, seeking urgent listing of her petition. The Bench said it would take it up on March 24.

Kavitha, daughter of Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and a Member of Legislative Council, deposed before the ED to record her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on March 11 and was summoned again on March 16 for questioning. She has also challenged the summons issued to her by the ED.

During her questioning by the ED last week, she was reportedly confronted with the statements made by Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai, an accused in the case.

ED quizzes Kavitha’s ‘former auditor’

• The ED on Wednesday questioned and recorded the statement of Butchibabu Gorantla, alleged to be a former auditor of K Kavitha
• Butchibabu desposed before the ED investigators a day ahead of the scheduled second summons in the same case to Kavitha
• Butchibabu, who is out on bail after the CBI arrested him in this case, was confronted with the statements made by Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramachandran Pillai