BRS leader K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy probe after hours of raids at her Hyderabad residence on Friday. Kavitha will be brought to Delhi for further questioning, news agencies reported. This came hours after ED and income tax officials conducted searches at her Hyderabad residence triggering protests from BRS supporters. Kavitha’s brother and former Telangana minister KT Rama Rao reached Kavitha’s residence after ED officials reportedly took Kavitha in custody. There was however no confirmation whether Kavitha was arrested but ED sources confirmed to the news agency that they would take Kavitha to Delhi.

“What they informed us in the house is that we will take you (Kavitha) to Delhi by 8.45 pm flight. It appears that they had decided to take her into custody and even booked a flight ticket for Kavitha even before they came here,” RSenior BRS leader and former minister Prasanth Reddy told reporters at the BRS MLC’s residence, PTI reported.

What is K Kavitha’s connection with the Delhi liquor policy case?

It is the same case in connection with which former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia is in jail. According to the allegations, there was a ‘south cartel’ involved in the Delhi liquor policy scam in which K Kavitha played a major role. Others in this cartel were Hyderabad businessman Sarath Reddy, YSR Congress MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, his son Raghav Magunta Reddy. This south cartel was represented by businessman Arun Pillai and Abhishek Boinpally and a chartered accountant Butchibabu.

Kavitha was summoned several times for questioning and she skipped at least two latest summons. She was questioned thrice in this case last year and the central agency recorded her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Vijay Nair, an AAP-linked accused in the case, promised this south cartel a stake in the Delhi liquor business. The south group was allowed some undue benefits and were permitted to hold more retain licences in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy.

“There was a political understanding between K Kavitha and the chief minister of Delhi (Arvind Kejriwal) and (former) deputy CM (Manish Sisodia) of Delhi. In that process, K Kavitha has also met Vijay Nair on 19th-20th March, 2021,” Butchibabu claimed in his statement.