BRS leader K Kavitha moves Supreme Court against ED arrest

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha has moved the Supreme Court challenging her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case..The plea in Supreme Court is moved by Advocate on Record P Mohith Rao. .A Delhi court had on March 16 remanded Kavitha to ED custody for a week following her arrest by the central agency, leading to the plea before the apex court.The plea, which has been filed as a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, has challenged her arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Kavitha was arrested by the ED on March 15 from Hyderabad, hours after an ED team searched the premises and interrogated her.The ED has claimed Kavitha was linked to a "South Group" lobby of liquor traders who were trying to play a larger role under the now scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.It has been alleged that one of the accused in the case, Vijay Nair, received kickbacks to the tune of at least ₹100 crores on behalf of AAP leaders from the "South Group", allegedly controlled by Sarath Reddy, K Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy.The ED questioned Kavitha thrice last year in this case and again summoned her this year but she did not depose, citing a Supreme Court direction that allowed her protection from any coercive action.After she was arrested, she was brought to Delhi and Special Judge) MK Nagpal of Rouse Avenue remanded her to ED custody till March 23. Pertinently, a plea file by Kavitha against summons issued by the ED is presently pending before the Supreme Court and is listed to be heard next on March 19, Tuesday..Kavitha is the third high-profile political leader to be arrested by the ED in the excise policy case.Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh are already behind bars in the case, with the former's curative petition seeking release from custody having been dismissed recently.Earlier on March 16, Arvind Kejriwal had appeared before the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the same case.