Excise Policy Case: Delhi Court Extends Judicial Custody Of BRS Leader Kavitha Till May 14

The judicial custody of BRS leader K Kavitha was extended until May 14 in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. The decision was given by a Delhi court on Tuesday. The special judge for CBI and ED matters, Kaveri Baweja, extended the custody of the Telangana MLA after she was produced before the court on the expiry of her remand.

Delhi court extends BRS lawmaker K Kavitha's judicial custody till May 14 in money laundering case

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 7, 2024

According to news agency PTI, the Enforcement Directorate told the court that the probe was at a crucial stage and that it may file a charge sheet against Kavitha within a week. 

Earlier on Monday, the Rouse Avenue court dismissed the bail petitions moved by Kavitha in connection with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases related to the Excise policy case. Senior Advocates Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhari along with advocates Nitesh Rana, Mohit Rao, and Deepak Nagar, appeared for the K Kavitha in the matter.

Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15, 2024, and by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 11, 2024.

The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced, and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval.

The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies said.

As per the allegations, the Excise Department had decided to refund the earnest money deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules.

(With input from agencies)