‘Politically motivated’: BRS leader K Kavitha summoned by ED for 3rd time in Delhi excise policy case

The agency had last questioned Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, in March this year. The CBI, which is also probing the excise policy case, had earlier recorded her statement at her Hyderabad residence on December 11, 2022.

On Thursday, Kavitha alleged that the ED notice is “politically motivated”, and said the party’s legal team will decide the future course of action on it.

Responding to questions about the notice, Kavitha told the media in Nizamabad that using Central agencies has been the modus operandi of the BJP in any election-bound state.

Telangana is scheduled to go to the polls later this year.

“I (have) received a notice (from ED). We have given it to the party’s legal cell. We will go by their advice. We strongly believe it is politically motivated,” she told reporters.

Comparing the ED’s probe to a “never-ending TV serial”, she said, “I don’t know how long it (probe) will go on. I don’t think even 2G (scam investigation) went on for so long. It is unfortunate, but it is…highly politically motivated.”

During its probe, ED had recorded the statement of Butchibabu, an accountant allegedly linked to Kavitha. He had allegedly told the agency that there was a “political understanding between Kavitha and (Delhi) Deputy Chief minister (Manish Sisodia)”.

The ED says AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair, acting on behalf of the party’s leaders, allegedly “received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from a group. For convenience, we may call it the South Group (as termed in the statements of various persons recorded during the investigation).” The agency alleges that Kavitha is a prominent member of this purported South Group.