Kavitha tried to influence witnesses: ED

Kavitha, daughter of former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, was produced before the court on Tuesday, on expiry of her judicial remand granted earlier, and sent back to Tihar Jail after special judge Kaveri Baweja extended her judicial custody by 14 days.

Her regular bail petition may come for hearing within a few days. The court refused to permit Kavitha to address personally the court and said she could give her submissions in writing. Kavitha submitted a four-page letter.

The court also denied a request by the Enforcement Directorate seeking Kavitha’s custody. The agency argued that Kavitha had attempted to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence in the case.

Advocate Nitesh Rana, appearing for Kavitha, opposed the ED;s plea and said that there were no new developments since her arrest and nor new grounds to seek her custody. “The application doesn't mention anything,” Rana said.

In her letter, Kavitha, who addressed the Rouse Avenue court judge as “Madam Justice,” called herself a victim and said that the ED and CBI had been conducting a media trial for two-and-a-half years against her.

Kavitha said that she was neither involved in the alleged liquor policy scam case nor had made any financial gain. “Madam Justice, being a woman politician, I am the most victimised in the process, severely denting my personal and political reputation. My mobile phone is displayed on all television channels directly invading my privacy,” the BRS leader said in her letter.

Kavitha said that she had “cooperated with the investigation” to the best of her knowledge and had provided “all bank account details.”

“I will hand over all the mobile phones which the agency claims that I have destroyed,” the BRS leader said. She claimed that the agency’s raid imposed “physical and mental torture” on her, adding that they also “threatened” her.