Delhi excise policy case : CBI to question TRS MLC Kavitha on Dec 11

Hyderabad: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is probing the Delhi excise policy case would question K Kavitha, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLC and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at her residence in Banjara Hills here on December 11.
In a mail to Kavitha on Tuesday, Raghavendra Vatsa, Head of Branch/DIG CBI, ACB, Delhi said with reference to your trail mail dated 05.12.2022 vide which you have informed your availability at your residence at Hyderabad on 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th of December 2022 for your examination in connection with investigation of RC0032022A0053 of CBI, ACB, Delhi.
He said, in this regard, it is informed that CBI team will visit your residence at 1100 hrs on 11.12.2022 for your examination and recording of your statement in connection with investigation of aforesaid case.
Mr. Vatsa asked TRS MLC to kindly confirm her availability on the said date and time at your residential address in Hyderabad.
In a letter to Raghavendra Vatsa, Kavitha, on Monday stated that ‘As proposed by you, I am not in position to meet on 6th December 2022, because of my preoccupied schedule, I will be able to meet you either on 11th, 12 or 14th, 15th of this month whichever as convenient to you at my residence in Hyderabad. Same may please be confirmed at the earliest.
Kavitha also said I am a law-abiding citizen and will cooperate with the investigation. I will meet you on any of the above-said dates to help with the investigation. It is made clear that it is without prejudice to my legal rights available under law.’
CBI on the evening of last Friday, while serving notice through an e-mail on Kavitha to examine her said, we are leaving to her to attend the examination at her residence in Hyderabad or Delhi as per her convenience, but she informed the investigating agency that she would meet its officers at her Hyderabad residence.
The CBI notice to Ms. Kavitha followed a remand report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate in court on November 30 following the arrest of one of the accused in the case the Gurugram Businessman Amit Arora by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Apart from Ms. Kavitha, YSR Congress Party MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and his son Raghava were also mentioned by the agency.
The ED alleged that Kavitha changed her phone’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) six times after the case was handed over to the agency.
Furthermore, the agency said the accused destroyed digital evidence in an attempt to hamper the ongoing investigation into the matter.
The ED claimed that extensive digital evidence was destroyed on purpose to stymie the investigation. “As many as 36 suspects/accused involved in the case have destroyed their 176 cell phones and laptops after the case was handed over to the agency. The ED has been able to retrieve data from 17 out of 170 cell phones.
The ED officials also found the mobile phones destroyed by MLC Kavita, Srujan Reddy, Arun Pillai, Abhishek Boinapally, Butchi Babu Gorantla, and Sharath Reddy.” This was stated by the ED in its remand report.
The CBI on November 25 filed its first charge sheet in the Delhi excise policy scam case against seven accused.
“As per the investigation carried out so far, Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has received kickbacks to the tune of at least Rs 100 crore from a group, called South Group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Ms K Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) by various persons including Amit Arora,” the ED had said in the remand report filed on one of the accused — Amit Arora — in a Delhi Court. (UNI)