BRS MLC Kavitha arrives at ED office, flashes 9 phones to debunk agency’s claims

NEW DELHI: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Tuesday appeared before the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for questioning for the third time in the Delhi liquor policy scam case. She was quizzed by the agency for the second time for over 10 hours on Monday and asked to appear again on Tuesday.

Before starting off from her residence on the way to the ED office, Kavitha flashed to the media two pouches containing nine phones that she had used since 2021. The development assumed significance in the wake of allegations by the ED that the BRS MLC had destroyed the evidence including her phones that she used since the time the liquor scandal surfaced. Debunking the ED claims and making a strong statement, a determined Kavitha flashed the phones to convey the message that the ED was making false allegations.

By flashing her phones, she sought to tell the world that all the phones that she used since 2021 were indeed with her and that no evidence was destroyed by her, as alleged by the investigating agency.

Kavitha’s team members also showed the two pouches containing the nine phones even when the MLC arrived at the ED’s office. A little past 11:30 am, Kavitha went inside the ED office to face the questioning for the third time.

Soon after this, Kavitha’s team also released a letter that Kavitha purportedly wrote to the Directorate of Enforcement, launching a scathing attack on the nature of the investigation. While debunking the ED’s claims on the destruction of evidence, she also raised questions on the fairness of the agency’s investigation. She stated that she was only being probed from a political angle despite the fact that she had no role to play in the scandal.

Even on Monday, according to some reports quoting sources close to Kavitha's family, the BRS MLC reportedly confronted the ED on the feelers sent out to the outside world on the destruction of her phones. She is learnt to have asked the investigators as to who sent out the leaks that she had destroyed her phones. She only reportedly received stoic silence from the ED team in response to this.

A few reports also claimed that during the entire 10 and a half hours she was made to spend at the ED office on Monday, the BRS MLC was asked only 14 questions. Kavitha reportedly cooperated fully to the questioning. It was also speculated that Kavitha had to wait for more than one and a half hours before the investigating team met her. Contrary to the popular belief, she was questioned alone by the ED team and not in a confrontation method along side either Arun Ramachandran Pillai and Manish Sisodia or Amith Aurora, the other accused in the case.

Below is the full text of BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha's fresh letter to the ED:

To, Mr. Jogender Assistant Director

Headquarter Investigation Unit 2(3)(2)

Directorate of Enforcement Directorate, Parvartan Bhawan,

APJ Abdul Kalam Road, New Delhi-110011

21.03.2023

Subject: Joining of Investigation in pursuance of summons no.

PMLA/SUMMON/HIU2/2023/1557 dated 20.03.2023.

Sir,

In continuance and furtherance of my repeated appearances before you and rendering all due assistance and cooperation, and despite the actions of the agency being ex-facie malafide, I am today submitting before your good self all the earlier phones that I may have used in the past, and as sought by you, which I could gather.

2. These phones are submitted without prejudice to my right and contentions and larger contention whether a women's phone can be intruded, in the teeth of her right to privacy.

3. I may take this opportunity to point out glaring act of malice on part of agency when it has chosen to make insinuations against me in the prosecution complaint filed qua some other accused in November 2022, alleging that certain phones stands destroyed. It is baffling to note as to how, why, and under what

Yethe

Contd…..p2/-

circumstances agency made such allegation, when I was not even summoned or asked any questions whatsoever.

4. For the record, the first time I was called by the agency was in the month of March 2023, therefore I have reasons to believe, that accusation made against me in November 2022 were not only malafide, misconceived, but also prejudicial.

5. Be that as it may, the deliberate leakage of the false accusation to the public has led to a political slugfest, wherein my political adversaries have been flaunting the accusations, to accuse me of destroying the so-called evidence, and indulging in causing great harm to my reputation, and attempting to defame me, my political party as well as to lower my image in the eyes of the public at large.

6. It is unfortunate that a premier agency like Enforcement Directorate is becoming a privy and party to these acts and sabotaging and sacrificing its sacrosanct duty of free and fair investigation at the altar of vested political interest.

I therefore, hereby tender all these phones so as to dispel of any notion or adverse impression that the agency is trying to create.

Yours sincerely

Xother,

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