New Delhi, Aug 27, 2024, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, Aug 27: A Delhi court issued release warrants for BRS leader K Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases related to alleged Delhi excise policy scam, but extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till September 3.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the order on Tuesday after being informed that Kavitha was granted bail earlier in the day by the Supreme Court in both the cases. The judge granted relief on a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both the cases along with sureties.
The high court had dismissed Kavitha's bail pleas in both cases, saying she was prima facie one of the main conspirators in the criminal conspiracy related to the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Kavitha from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad on March 15, while the CBI arrested her on April 11 from Tihar jail in Delhi.
The Special Judge, on the other hand, extended Kejriwal's custody after he was produced before the court through video conference on expiry of the judicial custody granted earlier.
The court is currently hearing arguments on whether to take cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed against Kejriwal by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Earlier, the apex court bench noted that Kavitha has been in custody for around five months and the probe against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was complete in these cases.
Setting aside a July 1 Delhi High Court order denying her bail, a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan questioned the central agencies over the fairness of their probe and asked if they were free to "pick and choose" an accused.
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!"
Kavitha, the 46-year-old daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, has been accused of being part of the 'South Group', a cartel of businessmen and politicians, which allegedly paid kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to Delhi's ruling AAP in return for liquor licences. She has denied all allegations.