Delhi Liquor Policy Scam: Kavitha let off after 9 hours questioning

Hyderabad: After a marathon of 9 long hours of questioning, Kavitha Kalvakuntla-BRS MLC, and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was let off by the sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate on March 11.

However, her phone continues to be in the custody of the agency.

She has been summoned for the second time for questioning to unravel her alleged role in the Delhi Liquor Scam especially revolving around the South Cartel. It is pertinent to note, Kavitha changed the device of both her phone numbers 10 times, and at least 36 accused and suspects involved in the scam have destroyed or used 170 phones, the ED’s remand report claimed.

Kavitha, who the ED questioned from 11 am to around 8 pm, asked to hand over her mobile phone. A five-member team of the Joint Director, Lady Deputy Director, and three Assistant Directors questioned her. Kavitha’s statement has been recorded under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

A few days ago, Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramachandra Pillai, a close associate of Kavitha, allegedly spilled the beans against her and South Cartel during questioning by the Enforcement Directorate. He told ED that he was acting as the face for MLC Kavitha, and the 30% stake he held in the Indo sports company was not of his but Kavitha’s.

What came following this was a summons to Kavitha by the investigative agency on March 9. She was asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on March 11. However, with her hunger-strike demanding tabling of the Women’s Reservation Bill at Jantar on March 10, she agreed to appear for questioning on March 11.

The CBI filed the first FIR- ACB unit in August 2022 against Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 16 others for irregularities in framing and implementing Delhi’s Excise policy. The Enforcement Directorate parallelly investigated the case under money laundering and carried out 171 search operations across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Haryana. The search led to the seizure of documents and the arrest of Sameer Mahandru, P Sarath Reddy, Benoy Babu, Vijay Nair, and Abhishek Boinapally.

In the Delhi Liquor Scam, Arun was the first to be booked by the CBI, and another close aide of Kavitha, Boinpally Abhishek Rao, was the first to be arrested by the CBI. Later, P Sarath Chandra Reddy, former MD Aurobindo, YSRCP MP’s son Magunta Raghava Reddy and Hyderabad-based Chattered Accountant Buchi Babu was part of the South Cartel were arrested.

Based on the confession of one accused, Dinesh Arora, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, was arrested on February 26. Following this was the arrest of Arun Ramachandra Pillai.