In the hours leading up to the arrest of BRS MLC K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Kavitha’s brother and former minister KT Rama Rao reached his sister’s residence amid much tension inside and outside the house. ED and CBI officials reached Kavitha’s house earlier in the day and conducted raids in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor probe. While BRS supporters gathered outside Kavitha’s house and protested the hour-long raid, KTR dropped in after it was reported that Kavitha would be arrested.

A video of KTR arguing with the officials before Kavitha was taken into custody has surfaced. “You (ED officials) have given an undertaking in the Supreme Court, and now you are violating it. You are in serious trouble,” KTR said on camera. He was arguing about why the search was conducted on a Friday evening thus limiting the option for availing legal remedies.

“Search is over and an arrest warrant is produced and now she (ED official) says you can’t come in. Family cannot come in and she also says they have no transit warrant and cannot produce before a magistrate, but she wants to make a case,” KTR said in the video alleging that he was not being allowed inside Kavitha’s house.

Kavitha’s arrest in Delhi liquor case: What is South cartel?

K Kavitha, according to ED’s allegation, was part of the south cartel which got undue benefits in the Delhi government’s liquor policy (now scrapped) for which then Delhi excise minister Manish Sisodia is in jail. Vijay Nair who worked as the link between the Delhi group and the south cartel received a kickback to the tune of ₹100 crore from the south cartel for pulling the strings in favour of the south cartel, it has been alleged.