The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to K Kavitha, a leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), in connection with the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The decision comes after Kavitha has spent nearly five months in custody.
A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan provided the bail on the condition that Kavitha does not attempt to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence in either of the cases. She is required to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh for each case.
The Supreme Court noted that Kavitha had been detained for almost five months and that investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were concluded in these cases. “The appellant is behind bars for close to five months; the likelihood of trial being completed in the near future is impossible,” the bench observed, highlighting the slim chance of the trial concluding soon.
The apex court’s decision overturns a July 1 Delhi High Court order that denied her bail. The High Court had dismissed Kavitha’s bail applications, stating that she was prima facie one of the main conspirators in the criminal conspiracy surrounding the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
Kavitha, 46, was arrested by the ED on March 15 from her residence in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, and subsequently taken into custody by the CBI on April 11 from Tihar Jail. She has consistently denied all allegations against her.
