The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail petition filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in connection with a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2020-21.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed the federal agency to file its response in the matter and listed the case for further hearing on May 24.
Earlier on May 6, a special court had rejected the bail petition of Kavitha, leading to the present plea before the High Court.
ED arrested the BRS leader on March 15 from her Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad, following allegations that she was involved in a money laundering case connected with the alleged Delhi excise scam.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also arrested her on April 11.
The case against Kavitha and others pertained to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2022, alleging that the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22 was allegedly manipulated to facilitate the monopolisation & cartelisation of wholesale and retail liquor trade in Delhi.
Both CBI and ED have alleged that certain persons/groups from South India had benefited in the process and that some amount of their profits was given to the Aam Aadmi Party, which the AAP used for campaigning during the Goa Assembly elections.
CBI registered the case under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), while the ED has registered the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
Earlier, the trial court had refused to grant interim bail to Kavitha in the ED case.
The bail plea has been filed before the High Court through Advocates Deepak Nagar and Mohith Rao. Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari and Advocate Nitesh Rana argued the case.