BRS Leader K Kavitha Skips ED Summons In Delhi Excise Duty Case

According to the information, leader of Bharat Rashtra Samithi, K Kavitha has skipped the summons by Enforcement Directorate today. Kavitha has approached the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing in the case saying that the probe agency representatives should visit her, instead of summoning her at the ED office. As a woman she has a right to be questioned at her home.

Reportedly, on March 24, the top court had agreed to hear her plea challenging the ED but they refused to grant her interim bail in the case. The ED has asked the BRS leader Kavitha to appear before it today. Kavitha’s absence from the third round of ED questioning served as a signal to the investigation team that the case is still being heard by the Supreme Court. The sources claim that Kavitha has sent the required paperwork requested by the investigation team via her attorney. Now, the top court has agreed to hear her plea on March 24. A heavy security ahead of her interrogation is been deployed at her Delhi residence.

Kavitha, who is the daughter of the Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, has approached the Supreme Court saying that as per law, as a woman she should be questioned by the probe agency at her residence instead of calling her at the ED office. The advocate who is representing Kavitha in the case said that summoning Kavitha to the ED office is completely against the law. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has sought an urgent hearing in her petitions. Now, court has agreed to list the matter on March 24.

In a petition submitted through attorney Vandana Sehgal, Kavitha requested that the Supreme Court strike down the ED summonses dated March 7 and 11. She claimed that asking her to appear at the agency office rather than her home was against established criminal law and violated the Proviso to Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

In her petitions, she has also sought that all the procedures, including that in relation with audio or videography should be done in presence of her lawyer at a visible distance inter-alia by way installation of appropriate CCTV cameras.

Petition filed by K Kavitha says:

In the petition, she said, “Despite the petitioner, Kavitha not being named in the FIR, certain members of the incumbent ruling political party at the Center made scandalous statements linking the Petitioner to the Delhi Excise Policy and the said FIR.”

“The political conspiracy against the petitioner (K Kavitha) unfortunately did not end with judicial intervention by way of the Suit. The Enforcement Directorate filed a remand application qua one of the accused on November 30, 2022, before the concerned Court. This remand application contained the personal contact details of the petitioner. There was no rhyme or reason to include the personal contact details of the petitioner in a remand application which did not even concern the petitioner. The act is all the more egregious considering the Petitioner is a lady,” BRS leader said.

K Kavitha further added that the said remand application containing the contact details of the Petitioner were leaked to the media and the public. Kavitha also said that ED has denied her request seeking to be examined at her residence, and the probe agency made a categorical statement that “there is no provision under the PMLA for the recording of statements at any persons’ residence”.

She also added, “That immediately thereafter on March 8, 2023, at 11:03 pm, the Petitioner sent an email asserting her rights to be examined at her residence. However, the Petitioner after reserving her rights intimated to the Respondent that she will appear before them on March 11, 2023.”