Delhi Liquor scam: Kavitha takes on ED; flashes old phones to negate `destruction theory’

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha appeared before Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the third time on March 21 in the now-scrapped Delhi Liquor policy. The appearance was different from earlier hearings as a belligerent BRS MLC displayed her old phones while heading to the ED office. This gesture was an act to prove against ED, who's probe said Kavitha destroyed 10 phones and called it an act of destroying evidences.

On the same day, she wrote a scathing letter to ED, calling their action (probe) a glaring act of malice. "I am rendering all due assistance and cooperation, and despite the actions of the agency being ex-facie malafide, I am today submitting before your good self all the earlier phones that I may have used in the past, and as sought by you, which I could gather," she said.

Here is the letter:

These phones are submitted without prejudice to my right and contentions and larger contention about whether a woman's phone can be intruded on in the teeth of her right to privacy.

I may take this opportunity to point out a glaring act of malice on part of the agency when it has chosen to make insinuations against me in the prosecution complaint filed qua some other accused in November 2022, alleging that certain phone stands destroyed. It is baffling to note how, why, and under what circumstances the agency made such an allegation when it was not even summoned or asked any questions whatsoever.

For the record, the first time I was called by the agency was in March 2023. Therefore I have reasons to believe that the accusations made against me in November 2022 were not only malafide, and misconceived, but also prejudicial.

Be that as it may, the deliberate leaking of false accusation to the public has led to a political slugfest, wherein my political adversaries have been flaunting the accusations, accusing me of destroying the so-called evidence, and indulging in causing great harm to my reputation, and attempting to defame me, my political party as well as to lower my image in the eyes of the public at large. It is unfortunate that a premier agency like Enforcement Directorate is becoming a privy party to these acts and sabotaging and sacrificing its sacrosanct duty of free and fair investigation at the altar of vested political interest.

I, therefore, hereby tender all these phones so as to dispel any notion or adverse impression that the agency is trying to create.

Destruction of evidence:

ED's investigation into the scam found that TRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha changed the device of her both phone numbers 10 times. Likewise, Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Group Managing Director P Sarath Reddy, who was earlier arrested by ED, reportedly changed his phone device nine times. ED said the accused and suspects destroyed digital evidence to impede the investigation.

“An attempt was also made to see that the evidence about the commission of this scam running into thousands of crores was either destroyed which would contain valuable digital data and material to prove further kickbacks,” ED said.

Pertinently, major evidence related to liquor scam were stored in digital formats both on mobile phones and laptops, However, as soon as the scam was unearthed and the case was handed over to investigating agency, a large number of digital devices were found to be destroyed or changed by the suspects.

According to ED, at least, 36 accused and suspects involved in the scam have destroyed or used 170 phones (as per IMEI analysis).

In Short:

-Today will mark the 3rd time Kavitha is appearing before the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam.

-The BRS MLC has spent close to 18-19 hours in ED's questioning on March 11th and 20th.

- Hyderabad businessman and accused Arun Ramachandra Pillai continues to be in ED's custody.

-The Supreme Court to hear her plea on ED's summons on March 24th.

- What followed was ED's caveat in the Supreme court urging the top court not to pass any order without hearing them.