Supreme Court Delays K Kavitha's ED Summons in Delhi Excise Policy Case

K Kavitha, an MLC representing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), is not expected to appear at the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons issued today in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy Case, according to sources. This is so that her petition may be heard at the Supreme Court's upcoming 10:30 a.m. session. The ED had already questioned Kavitha, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, several times over potential irregularities in the case.

At a news conference in Nizamabad, Kavitha accused the ED of being politically biassed and referred to the notification as a "Modi notice," suggesting political bias. She said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is now in power at the federal level, was using this strategy, especially in states like Telangana that were getting ready for elections. According to Kavitha, the BJP used federal agencies as part of their plan in states that were going to the polls.

The dispute centres on the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021–2022, which was said to have favoured some dealers and permitted cartelization. After a Central Bureau of probe (CBI) probe, the policy was subsequently cancelled. Following the CBI investigation, the Enforcement Directorate also opened a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A testimony from Butchibabu, an accountant allegedly associated to Kavitha, was recorded during the ED's probe. It suggested a political pact between Kavitha and Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Kavitha has constantly insisted on her innocence and charged the BJP-led Central government of using the ED against Telangana for political gain. The accusations made against Sisodia and Kejriwal have been categorically refuted by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).