Telangana: CBI quizzes Kalvakuntla Kavitha for 7 hours in Delhi excise case

HYDERABAD: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday questioned Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha for seven hours on her suspected role in the Delhi excise policy case.
After the questioning, CBI served summons on Kavitha to produce documents related to the Delhi liquor policy under Section 91 CrPC, which allows investigators to demand in writing documents or anything else to be produced as evidence.
Though Kavitha was served a notice to depose as witness, CBI lobbed questions at her on her alleged links with several arrested accused, including P Sarath Chandra Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma and Gurugram-based businessman Amit Arora.
Earlier, Enforcement Directorate (ED) had named Kavitha in the remand report and claimed she purportedly acted on behalf of the southern cartel to bribe AAP government officials and ministers in Delhi. After the questioning, Kavitha came out of her Banjara Hills residence and waved at supporters who had gathered to express solidarity.
Minutes later Kavitha drove down to Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence of her father and chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, and remained closeted with him for an hour.
Earlier in the day, a five-member CBI team led by the Delhi unit's anti-corruption branch DIG Raghavendra Vatsa examined Kavitha on her alleged role in the liquor policy case.
During the seven-hour questioning of BRS MLC and chief minister's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha by CBI, investigators quizzed her on various aspects, including her motive behind changing cell phone devices seven times in recent past - four times on one number and three on other cell numbers.
CBI is now looking around for cell phones earlier used by Kavitha to salvage digital evidence, which the agency feels was wiped out.
Sources said the questioning went seamlessly and she cooperated with the investigating agency. Though her office said she would issue the statement, she dropped the idea after meeting the chief minister. While a woman officer was part of the CBI team, a legal counsel aided Kavitha during the session. CBI is likely to question Kavitha again depending on unfolding evidence.
The agency stated that during investigation they found Kavitha was acquainted with specific facts of the case. Key accused Amit Arora's statement to ED had revealed the south liquor cartel led by P Sarath Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma, BRS MLC Kavitha and Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy had allegedly paid Rs 100 crore to Aam Aadmi party government key functionaries. Both CBI and ED are simultaneously probing the case and have arrested Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally, ex-trade commissioner Arun Ramachandra Pillai and P Sarath Reddy so far. Boinpally is considered close to Kavitha.
CBI, which had booked Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 14 others for their role in the controversial Delhi excise policy (2021-22), is probing whether Kavitha played an intermediary role, collected bribes from the cartel and paid kickbacks to AAP ministers and officials. Late evening, after CBI officials left Kavitha's residence, BRS minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, MLAs and MPs visited her and expressed theirsolidarity.