Delhi excise policy: ED to question K Kavitha's ex-auditor today
2 min read . Updated: 15 Mar 2023, 07:13 AM IST
PremiumK Kavitha was grilled by ED for over 9 hours on March 11 linked to the Delhi excise policy case.
The Enforcement Directorate will question BRS leader K Kavitha's ex-auditor Butchibabu Gorantla in the Delhi excise policy money laundering case today, March 15. The federal agency summoned Gorantla, who is out on bail, to confront him with another arrested accused in the case.
Before a local court here, the agency made this disclosure while seeking an extension of custody of Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramachandran Pillai, whom it had arrested on March 6. The court extended Pillai's remand by three more days.
In the remand note for Pillai, the ED told the court that Butchibabu was initially asked to join the probe on March 9 but he sought adjournment till March 13 citing health issues. "He has been summoned again for March 15," ED said as quoted by PTI.
The agency also informed that court that Pillai and Butchibabu were staying at a Hyderabad five-star hotel in mid-March, during the period when the GoM report on the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy was being formulated. It has now sought details from the hotel on this and it was awaited.
"It is crucial to interrogate Pillai in ED custody while confronting him with the hotel records so as to investigate the link between South Group (represented by Pillai, Butchibabu and another arrested accused in the case Abhishek Boinpally) and Vijay Nair/GoM (headed by former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia) at the time of policy formulation," it added.
Delhi liquor scam: ED calls K Kavitha again on March 16
Kavitha was grilled by ED for over 9 hours on March 11 linked to the Delhi excise policy case. She was summoned by the investigation agency for recording her statement in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy. She has been asked to depose again on March 16.
The agency had earlier alleged that the "South group" was a liquor cartel linked to Kavitha and others that paid kickbacks amounting to about ₹100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to gain a larger share of the market in the national capital under the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2020-21.
The "South Group", according to the ED, "comprises" Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Pharma), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSR Congress MP from the Ongole Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh), his son Raghav Magunta, Kavitha and others.
The ED also alleged in Pillai's remand papers that he "represented the benami investments" of Kavitha in the case. The BRS leader was earlier questioned by the CBI in connection with the case.
(With PTI inputs)