Delhi liquor scam: ED raids BRS MLC Kavitha’s residence in Hyderabad

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, March 15, carried out raids at the residence of former MP K Kavitha in Hyderabad as part of its probe into the alleged Delhi liquor scam.  The searches were carried out by a 10-member team. The raids conducted, just a day before the announcement of the General election schedule, led to allegations that the BJP was behind the action. 

Bharat Rashtra Samithi spokesperson, Krishank Manne wrote, “Why ED Raid on @RaoKavitha  just 24 hours before Election Code ? To fight Election against KCR garu, BJP needs ED ....”

Besides Hyderabad, the ED is carrying out simultaneous searches in 17 other locations, according to reports. 

The Enforcement Directorate is probing the alleged liquor scam committed by the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed for cartelisation and privileged certain dealers over others. The preferred dealers had allegedly paid bribes worth Rs 100 crore for the licenses.  The liquor policy was scrapped soon after and a CBI probe commenced, following which the ED booked a case against the same accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

In its investigation, the ED had alleged that the people involved gave kickbacks of crores to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders that were allegedly used by the party during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections. The amount was paid to gain control over the liquor business in Delhi, the ED alleged. 

Kavitha’s involvement in the case came about after the ED arrested Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai on March 9, 2023. The ED said that Pillai had confessed to representing Kavitha’s interests in the liquor policy case. 

Kavitha had already appeared before the ED in Delhi and surrendered her phones to the authorities.