CBI records BRS leader K Kavitha's statement in Delhi excise scam

Hyderabad, Dec 11: A team of CBI sleuths on Sunday examined Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha at her residence here in connection with the 'Delhi excise policy scam' and recorded her statement.

A six-member Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team, including a woman official, arrived at 11 am for recording her statement, and left her residence at 6.30 pm. The city police beefed up security near her residence owing to the visit of the CBI team. Party sources said the former MP from Nizamabad requested the BRS cadre and her supporters to not gather at her residence (during her examination).

As stated earlier when she was served notice, Kavitha reiterated that she will be cooperating with the central agency, the sources added. After completion of CBI's examination in the evening, Telangana Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav met Kavitha at her residence even as party supporters in large number gathered outside her house and expressed their solidarity.

Later, Kavitha went to 'Pragathi Bhavan', Chief Minister Rao's official residence-cum-camp office, and met her father. Posters in support of Kavitha were put up near her house by her supporters and also party workers carrying her photo along with slogans. One of the posters read 'Daughter of Fighter Will Never Fear. #We Are With Kavithakka'.

The CBI had last week informed Kavitha that a team from the premier investigating agency would visit her residence in the city on December 11 for examination.

Kavitha, who has been served a notice by the CBI for recording her statement in connection with the case, recently said she will be able to meet the officials from December 11-15 (except for 13th).

The probe agency issued the notice under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and asked her to intimate the place of residence as per her convenience for the "examination" at 11 am on that day. Under Section 160 of CrPC, the investigating officer can summon any person as witness in a particular case.

After her name cropped up in a remand report filed by the Enforcement Directorate in a Delhi court on the alleged kickbacks in the 'scam', Kavitha had said she was ready to face any probe. The CBI on November 25 filed its first charge sheet in the case against seven accused.

"As per the investigation carried out so far, Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has received kickbacks to the tune of at least Rs 100 crore from a group, called South Group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Ms K Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) by various persons including Amit Arora," the ED had said in the remand report filed on one of the accused -- Amit Arora -- in a Delhi Court.