Delhi court grants CBI permission to interrogate BRS leader Kavitha
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been granted permission by a Delhi court to question the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS)'s leader, K Kavitha. Kavitha is currently incarcerated in Tihar Jail. She was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 15 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The CBI's request for interrogation came after new evidence surfaced during their investigation.
Why does this story matter?
The ED has accused Kavitha of being a key member of the "South Group," which allegedly bribed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with ₹100 crore in exchange for liquor licenses under the now-scrapped policy. The money was then allegedly used by the AAP to fund its election campaigns in Goa and Punjab. According to the ED, the "South Group" included Kavitha, Sarath Reddy (promoter of the Aurobindo Group), YSRCP MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, his son Raghav Magunta, and others.
Why CBI wants to question Kavitha
The CBI wants to question Kavitha regarding the ₹100 crore paid by the South Group allegedly to the AAP. On Friday, the agency told the court that chats were obtained from Buchi Babu's phone and documents relating to a land deal, after which the ₹100 crore bribe was handed to the AAP. Babu was the chartered accountant associated with Kavitha. To this request, the bench said, "I have considered the submissions made, and in view thereof, the application is allowed."
Kavitha third high-profile politician to be arrested
Kavitha was the third high-profile politician to be arrested in the case, after AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. On March 21, Arvind Kejriwal became the first sitting chief minister to be arrested. Both Sisodia and Kejriwal are lodged in Tihar Jail, while Singh was let out of the jail after six months on Wednesday. He had been in custody since October 2023, after his arrest by the ED in the same case.
