Kavitha walks out of Tihar jail

New Delhi/Hyderabad: BRS leader Kalvakuntla Kavitha walked out of Tihar jail on Tuesday, after 164 days. She will be coming back to Hyderabad on Wednesday afternoon.

The Supreme Court granted bail to the BRS leader in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

BRS workers and supporters who had gathered outside the jail to welcome her played drums and burst crackers as she stepped out of the prison complex.

Her son, husband, BRS working president KTR and MLA Harish Rao were the first to welcome her.

Speaking to the media persons, Kavitha said, I have been in politics for the last 18 years. I need not speak about anyone, because the entire country knows that I was "put in jail for political reasons". We will definitely pay back for what happened to me. I am Telangana Bidda, and I will never make a mistake. I am stubborn, sending me to jail, they made me more stubborn."

"We will fight and prove ourselves innocent ...we were always tough. We are fighters. We will fight it out legally. We will fight it out politically. By sending us to jail illegally, they have only made the BRS and KCR team unbreakable," Kavitha said in tears.

She had spent five months in Tihar jail in judicial custody after the ED arrested her from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15. The CBI arrested her on April 11 from Tihar jail.

She stayed with two other jail inmates in a non-VIP cell in Tihar jail and lost 11 kg of weight.

A judicial bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan noted that Kavitha had been in custody for around five months and the probe against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been completed in both cases.

The bench noted since 493 witnesses were to be examined and 50,000 pages of documents were to be considered in the two cases, there was no likelihood of the trial being concluded in the near future.

"The appellant (Kavitha) is directed to be released forthwith on bail … on furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs 10 lakh in each of the cases," the bench said, while allowing her appeals against the July 1 verdict of the Delhi High Court which had denied her bail in the two cases.

While quashing the high court verdict, the apex court said Kavitha shall not make any attempt to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses and shall deposit her passport with the trial judge. It said she shall regularly attend the trial court proceedings and cooperate to ensure expeditious disposal of the trial.

The two federal agencies came in for some sharp criticism over the "fairness" of their investigation, with the apex court observing "Sorry to see this state of affairs".

"You will pick and choose anyone?" it asked, while referring to one of the witnesses whose statements were read out in the court during the arguments.

"The prosecution has to be fair. You can't pick and choose anyone. What is this fairness? A person who incriminates himself has been made a witness," the bench said, adding, "Tomorrow you will pick up anyone as you choose and leave anyone as you choose as an accused? Very fair and reasonable discretion!"

What is the Delhi excise policy scam case?

The ED has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the South Group that has been accused of paying the AAP kickbacks of Rs 100 crores in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital.

ED alleged that Kavitha is one of the kingpins, a key conspirator and a beneficiary of the Delhi Excise Policy Scam.

According to the ED, Kavitha orchestrated a deal with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and then deputy CM and then minister of Excise, Manish Sisodia, wherein she, along with other members of the South Group, paid them kickbacks through a string of intermediaries and middlemen. In exchange for the kickbacks paid to the AAP leaders, she had access to the policy formulation and was offered provisions to ensure a favourable position to her.

Timeline of Kavitha's arrest

March 15, 2024: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrests Kavitha in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.

April 11: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrests Kavitha in connection with a corruption case linked to the alleged scam.

May 6: Delhi court denies bail in both cases.

May 9: Kavitha moves Delhi HC seeking bail in ED’s case.

May 15: Kavitha approaches Delhi HC for bail in corruption case lodged by CBI.

July 1: Delhi HC dismisses Kavitha's bail pleas in both cases.

Aug 12: SC seeks response from CBI and ED on Kavitha’s pleas seeking bail.

Aug 27: SC grants bail to Kavitha.