Delhi excise policy case: ED summons Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha

Kavitha, 44, a BRS party MLC, has been asked to depose on March 9 before the federal agency in New Delhi.

New Delhi

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, officials said on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

Ms. Kavitha, 44, a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party MLC, has been asked to depose on March 9 before the federal agency in the national capital.

She has been called so that she can be confronted with Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, an alleged frontman of the 'south group', who was arrested by the ED on Monday.

The ED has issued summons to Ms. Kavitha at a time when she is preparing to stage at protest in New Delhi on March 10 demanding enacting of women’s reservation Bill. She had arrangements for the protest on behalf of Bharat Jagruthi headed by her.

On the other hand, the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had also convened a meeting of his Cabinet on Thursday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier said that Pillai "represented the south group", an alleged liquor cartel linked to Kavitha and others.

The 'south group, according to the agency, "comprises" Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Pharma), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSR Congress MP from Ongole Lok Sabha seat), Kavitha and others.

The BRS leader has been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this case earlier.

It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers, who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here.

The policy was later scrapped and the Delhi Lt Governor had recommended a CBI probe following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Hindi

(National)