The CBI, on Friday, seeking the custody of BRS leader K Kavitha in the Delhi liquor policy case, claimed before the Delhi court that her role in the conspiracy to collect a Rs 100 crore kickback from a liquor baron was revealed during the probe. The agency alleged that a businessman from the south met Arvind Kejriwal at his office seeking his support and the Chief Minister told him that K Kavitha will contact him.
"One liquor businessman from the south met Arvind Kejriwal at the Chief Minister's office chamber in Delhi on March 16, 2022. He sought the Chief Minister’s support. Arvind Kejriwal assured him and said K Kavitha would contact him in this regard. Kejriwal asked for funds in exchange," the agency said.
The CBI further claimed that K Kavitha, BRS leader from Telangana, then contacted that businessman and asked him to meet in Hyderabad. She gave reference to the person’s meeting with the Delhi Chief Minister and also said Vijay Nair was in touch with her. Nair, who was AAP's media coordinator, is another accused in the case.
The agency also alleged that Kavitha told the businessman that they have to arrange Rs 100 crore upfront money and asked him to contribute 50 crore.
The CBI also alleged that one of the accused, Vijay Nair, received kickbacks to the tune of at least Rs 100 crore from a group called South Group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) on behalf of AAP leaders.
The court, meanwhile, reserved its order on the CBI's plea seeking five-day custody of the BRS, who is the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Kaivtha, who is already in Tihar Jail after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor policy case, was arrested by the CBI on Thursday
The CBI, which questioned Kavitha inside the jail recently, told the court that she was not cooperating in the investigation and was evasive in her replies.
Her advocate, opposing the CBI's plea, termed the arrest as illegal and accused the probe agency of violating Kavitha's fundamental rights.
