In a significant development, the Supreme Court granted permission for the withdrawal of the plea filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former Telangana CM’s daughter, K. Kavitha, challenging Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case. The bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal dismissed the plea as withdrawn, granting Kavitha the liberty to pursue appropriate remedies in accordance with the law. The plea’s withdrawal was urged by Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhri during the hearing, citing its infructuous nature.
This decision follows the adjournment of the matter on the previous date, March 15, due to unlisted connected cases, which raised legal questions regarding summoning women by the Enforcement Directorate. Notably, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, sought to retract a statement made in September 2023, indicating a deferral of summons to the BRS leader by 10 days. However, the Court refrained from delving into the matter.
Meanwhile, on the same day of the Supreme Court’s ruling, reports emerged of Kavitha’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. According to the arrest memo, she was apprehended at 5:20 pm from her residence in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Subsequently, on March 16, a Delhi Court remanded Kavitha to ED custody until March 23. Upon her appearance before the Court, Kavitha contested the legality of her arrest and vowed to challenge it in court.
The central agency is currently probing Kavitha’s alleged involvement in influencing the Delhi Excise Policy case, marking a significant turn of events in the ongoing legal proceedings.
