A COURT here on Saturday extended the Enforcement Directorate custody of BRS leader K Kavitha, an accused in the Delhi Excise Policy scam, till March 26. The ED has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the ‘South Group’ that has been accused of paying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. In its plea seeking an extension of her custodial remand by five days, the federal probe agency said, Kavitha was interrogated, confronted with statements of four people and questioned based on the findings during investigation. She was also confronted with a forensic report showing formatting of her mobile phone data during the probe. .

 

“During the search conducted at the premises of the arrestee (Kavitha) on March 15, a mobile device belonging to Meka Saran (her nephew) has been seized. He was called two times to appear before the investigation. However, he has failed to appear before the investigation,” the plea said. It said the investigation in the last week revealed that Saran was involved in the transfer or utilisation of the proceeds of crime. “Since he is in possession of information relevant for investigation in the case and he is not cooperating with the investigation, Search is being conducted at his premises (in Hyderabad on Saturday),” the plea said. It said Saran is a “close relative” of the Kavitha and that he was present in her house when ED conducted the raid.