Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha has approached a Delhi court seeking ‘default’ bail in connection to a corruption case tied to the purported excise scam. The request comes amidst claims that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an “incomplete chargesheet” within the mandatory 60-day period.
Special CBI Judge Kaveri Baweja has requested the CBI’s response to the bail plea and reserved judgment on whether to take cognizance of the third chargesheet submitted in the ongoing investigation. The court has scheduled further deliberations on the bail application for July 12 and is set to announce its decision regarding the chargesheet on July 15.
Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was initially detained in April at Tihar Jail by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a separate money laundering case related to the alleged scam. This case involves accusations of corruption and illicit money transfers during the creation and execution of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later annulled.
The CBI’s supplementary chargesheet last month claimed substantial evidence exists to prosecute Kavitha in the corruption case. Investigations have included scrutiny of WhatsApp conversations from co-accused Buchi Babu’s phone and transactions related to a land deal, purportedly involving a payment of Rs 100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as kickbacks to manipulate the policy in favor of a liquor lobby.
In her plea for bail, Kavitha argued that the incomplete nature of the chargesheet provides her a definitive right to ‘default bail’ under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). She highlighted the legal requirement for the CBI to present a complete chargesheet within 60 days of arrest, a timeline which has been exceeded.
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Kavitha’s legal team contends that the filing of an incomplete third supplementary chargesheet is a tactic to prevent her release on default bail and violates legal standards. They urged the court to recognize these maneuvers and ensure justice is served without undue delay or obstruction.
