Kavitha, a member of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and a Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter, is unlikely to make an appearance before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, according to insider sources. Her decision is influenced by the fact that her plea is currently awaiting a hearing in the Supreme Court scheduled for 10:30 am today.
The ED has previously interrogated Kavitha multiple times regarding alleged irregularities related to the Delhi excise policy case. Her recent summons to the ED's office in Delhi on September 15 raised eyebrows. During a press conference held in Nizamabad on Thursday, Kavitha characterized the ED's notice as a politically motivated move, even going so far as to dub it a "Modi notice," insinuating a politically biased intent.
She asserted that this tactic was part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) playbook, especially in states gearing up for elections, such as Telangana. Kavitha expressed her commitment to following the advice of her party's legal experts, who also view the notice as politically driven, especially considering the charged atmosphere in Telangana due to the upcoming elections.
Kavitha drew parallels between the ongoing ED investigation and a never-ending television drama series, expressing her confidence that the people of Telangana would not take the investigation seriously.
The Delhi excise policy for 2021-22, which allegedly promoted cartelization and favored specific dealers, serves as the crux of this controversy. Following a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), this policy has since been revoked. The Enforcement Directorate subsequently filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in tandem with the CBI investigation.
During the course of the ED's investigation, a statement was obtained from Butchibabu, an accountant purportedly linked to Kavitha, suggesting a political understanding between Kavitha and Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Kavitha has consistently maintained her innocence while accusing the BJP-led central government of exploiting the ED for political advantage in Telangana. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has vehemently refuted allegations against Sisodia and Kejriwal.
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