Liquor policy case: Delhi court issues notice to CBI on K Kavitha's bail plea

Liquor policy case: A Delhi Court on Monday issued a notice to the CBI over BRS leader K Kavitha's bail plea in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.

Kaveri Baweja, the special judge for CBI and ED cases, ordered Kavitha to be held in judicial custody until April 23 and directed the federal agency to respond to the application by April 22.

The CBI arrested the Telangana MLC and daughter of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao from Tihar Jail, where she was detained following her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The CBI is investigating alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the AAP government's excise policy, while the ED is looking into money laundering allegations.

In her bail plea, K Kavitha stated that she was a "star campaigner" for her party during the general elections. She applied for interim bail while her regular bail application was pending.

She also claimed that the "ruling party in the Centre is using investigative agencies to publicly connect the petitioner to the Delhi Excise Policy so that further coercive actions can be taken against her".

"The Investigating Agencies are well aware that the allegation that the Petitioner was involved in the alleged scam is without merit. The purported investigation against the Petitioner is not intended to determine her involvement in the alleged scam, as it is painfully clear that none exists. The political masterminds are well aware that if the petitioner is linked to the alleged scam, it will bring her and, by extension, her father, the former chief minister of Telangana, into disrepute," the application stated.