Terming the arrest of Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLC K Kavitha “illegal and undemocratic”, BRS leader Harish Rao accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress of conspiring together to demoralise the BRS party and KCR.
Kavitha, the daughter of BRS founder and former Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, was arrested after a day-long questioning followed by a raid at her Hyderabad residence in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Harish Rao alleged that it was not new for BJP to coerce the Opposition parties with false cases.
“The BRS party has called for a large-scale protest across the state on Saturday to oppose the illegal arrest of MLC Kavitha. The party strongly condemns the arrest, alleging that the BJP and Congress conspired to arrest her for political gain in the upcoming Parliament elections. She asserts readiness to fight politically and legally. BJP and Congress of collusion and vowed to challenge the arrest legally,” Rao said.
He further termed the arrest as undemocratic, illegal, and immoral and criticized the timing, suggesting it a political ploy to tarnish their image ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
“The arrest of Kavitha, just before the election notification, is seen as a deliberate attempt to undermine the BRS party. Despite ongoing legal proceedings, the arrest was rushed, indicating political motives. The party plans to protest against these actions and pursue legal recourse,” the former minister said.
Moreover, former minister Jagdish Reddy also condemned the arrest, labelling it a political conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP and criticized the misuse of governmental institutions and urged people to protest against such oppressive tactics.
“The party calls for widespread demonstrations on Saturday to oppose these oppressive measures by the BJP and Congress,” Reddy said.
Kavitha’s lawyer, P Mohith Rao also termed the arrest of the BRS leader “illegal” and said that they will go to the available steps in the law.
“I have seen in the news that K Kavitha has been arrested today. But the matter was listed in the Supreme Court on Friday…The matter has been adjourned to Tuesday, 19th March…Undertaking given by law officer, stating that no coercive steps will be taken in this case. Yet, the ED barged into K Kavitha’s house and arrested her. The arrest is illegal because in this case, one of the prayers was to not take any coercive against her…When the petition is pending, they can’t do this…According to my prima facie view, the arrest itself is illegal. We will go to the available steps in the law,” Kavitha’s lawyer Rao told ANI.
The BRS leader would be produced before a special court in Delhi today, possibly in the afternoon.
In the arrest order, the ED investigation officer said, “I believe that Kalvakuntla Kavitha w/o D R Anil Kumar, residing at H. No. 8-2316/S/H, Road No 14, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telengana-500034 has been guilty of an offence punishable under the provision of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003).”
“Now, therefore, in the 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 Smt. Kalvakuntla Kavitha at 05.20 pm on 15.03.2024 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 officer added.
The action comes almost two months after the ED issued a summons to the 45-year-old BRS MLC
She was questioned thrice in this case last year, with the central agency recording her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).