Excise policy case: Delhi court extends BRS leader K Kavitha's custody till April 23

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of BRS leader K Kavitha till April 23 in connection with excise policy money laundering case.

A city court Monday had denied interim bail to Kavitha, saying she was “prima facie actively involved” in alleged money laundering, destruction of evidence and attempting to influence witnesses.

Kavitha was arrested on March 15 from Hyderabad, hours after an ED team searched the premises and interrogated her. She is currently in judicial custody in Tihar Jail.

The agency stating that the investigation is at a "very crucial stage" and in case relief as prayed for is granted to her, it would greatly hamper the investigation submitted that she fails to satisfy the conditions of the 'Triple Test' for grant of bail.

ED submitted that Arun Pillai, who was a proxy of Kavitha, retracted from his statements earlier made by him during investigation, after 118 days and the only two statements which he retracted from, pertained to the BRS leader. Kavitha's counsels seeking the interim bail had told the court that she, as a woman, is seeking bail as she falls within the first proviso to Section 45 (1) of PMLA and the rigours of the twin conditions mentioned in Section 45 of the PMLA will have no application on her.