SC Grants Bail To BRS Leader K Kavitha In Delhi Excise Policy Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to BRS leader K Kavitha in money laundering and corruption cases linked with the Delhi Excise Policy case. The apex court has set aside the Delhi High Court order, which had denied bail to Kavitha. 

K Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 15. She was lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

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A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan pronounced the judgment in this regard.

Besides granting bail to Kavitha, the top court pulled up the CBI and ED over the nature of the probe in the case. "Prosecution has to be fair. A person who incriminates himself has been made a witness! Tomorrow you pick up anyone as you please? You cannot pick and choose any accused. What is this fairness? Very fair and reasonable discretion!!" Justice Gavai observed during the hearing, as per Live Law. 

The top court noted that the probe was complete and a chargesheet was filed as well. Hence, there was no point in keeping the accused in custody for further interrogation, notwithstanding that Kavitha had been behind bars for over five months. 

The bench reiterated its observation that the undertrial custody should not be turned into a punishment, citing Manish Sisodia’s case.

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Notably, former Delhi deputy CM and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia was on August 9 granted bail by the Supreme Court in the same case. He walked out of Tihar Jail after nearly 17 months. He was arrested by the CBI on corruption charges on February 26 last year, followed by his arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED on March 9 of the same year.4o