On Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) directed MLC and leader of the BRS party, K Kavitha, to appear for questioning regarding the Delhi liquor scam on February 26.
Her safeguard from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the issuance of summons was prolonged until February 16 by the Supreme Court on February 5.
The investigative agency contended in court that she had been avoiding summons and was not cooperating with the investigation.
In September 2023, the Supreme Court instructed the ED not to summon her for questioning until her plea contesting the summons was heard on November 20.
Kavitha's plea argued that, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a woman should not be summoned to the office for questioning and should instead be questioned at her residence by officials. She also sought court directives to prohibit the ED from summoning her under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Maintaining her innocence, Kavitha has previously alleged that the BJP-led central government was manipulating the ED because the party failed to gain entry into Telangana through legitimate means.
She stands accused of involvement in the 'South Group', a liquor cartel alleged to have paid kickbacks totaling about Rs 100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to secure a larger market share in Delhi under the now-defunct Delhi excise policy for 2020-21.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chose to disregard the sixth summons from the ED for questioning in connection with the same case on February 19.
