Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K. Kavitha, the daughter of party President and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, was arrested on Friday in a money-laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy case after searches at her residence in Hyderabad, the Enforcement Directorate said.
"Whereas, I, Jogender, Assistant Director, have reasons to believe that Kalvakuntla Kavitha, wife of D.R. Anil Kumar, residing at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, has been guilty of an offence punishable under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003). Now, therefore, in exercise of the power conferred upon me under sub-section (1) of section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (915 of 2003), I hereby arrest the said Kalvakuntla Kavitha at 05.20 p.m. on March 15 and she has been informed of grounds for arrest. A copy of the grounds of arrest (containing 14 pages) have been served upon her,” the ED arrest order said.
An ED official said that her husband, Anil Kumar, was also informed in person and in writing about the arrest.
Amid tight security and protest by BRS leaders and workers outside her residence, the ED team escorted Kavitha to Hyderabad Airport in Shamshabad on the city outskirts, from where she will be taken to Delhi by a flight.
She was seen hugging her family members including brother K.T. Rama Rao before coming out of the house after 7 p.m. along with ED officials to sit in a car. She waved at her supporters and displayed a 'V' sign.
Police had a tough time removing Kavitha’s supporters to make way for the vehicle carrying the BRS leader.
Earlier in the day, the ED team held searches at her upscale Banjara Hills residence, and nobody was allowed inside.
Tension prevailed outside her residence in the evening as BRS leaders and workers gathered there on learning about her arrest and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ED.
BRS Working President Rama Rao and senior party leader and cousin T. Harish Rao reached Kavitha’s house but were stopped outside. The ED officials later allowed them in.
Rama Rao questioned the ED officials for arresting Kavitha without any transit warrant. He had an argument with the ED officials for taking Kavitha into custody after giving an assurance to the Supreme Court.
He warned the ED officials that they would face problems in the court for arresting Kavitha despite giving their word to the apex court.
He also alleged that the ED officials intentionally came to arrest Kavitha on a Friday. He slammed the ED officials for not even allowing family members into the house even after the searches were completed.
The BRS leader questioned how the ED could arrest her when there was no possibility of producing her before a magistrate.
Talking to reporters, BRS leader and former minister V. Prashanth Reddy termed the arrest "illegal" and alleged that the Modi government resorted to the action to create fear among BRS leaders ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
He claimed that the ED team came to her residence with a plan to arrest her.
The BRS leader said Kavitha was arrested even as her petition in the Supreme Court seeking orders to restrain ED from arresting her in a money-laundering case and the same was to come up for hearing on March 19.
Prashanth Reddy said the BRS would fight this act of political vendetta by the BJP in the people’s court.
The ED had questioned Kavitha, a former MP, earlier. However, she has not appeared before the agency since October last year despite summons. Kavitha had also approached the Supreme Court, challenging the summoning of a woman by the ED to its office.