Kavitha arrested amid huge drama, lawyer says illegal, BRS announces statewide protest

K Kavitha, a prominent leader in Telangana, and the daughter of former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was on Friday arrested by the Enforcement Directorate from her Hyderabad residence in the presence of her husband and brother — amid much drama, chaos and furore.

While BRS supporters protested outside her Banjara Hills residence against the daylong search and raid by the ED and income tax officials, her brother and cousin fought the ED officials and asked them whether they had transit remand as they were preparing to take ED to New Delhi.

K Kavitha arrested in connection with Delhi liquor case. 10 points

1. 46-year-old Kavitha was taken to ED custody on Friday evening. ED is likely to produce her in a court in New Delhi.

2. Kavitha has been questioned several times in connection with her alleged link to Delhi liquor policy. The BRS leader maintained that she had done nothing wrong. She was not named an accused in any of the six charge sheets filed by the financial crimes probe agency since November 2023.

3. The arrest was dramatic as the ED and the income tax department arrived at her residence in the morning and conducted searches for hours. Then they questioned her and at 5.20pm she was put under house arrest.

4. ED officials claimed at around 6pm, a group of men barged into the residence and obstructed ED’s work. They claimed to be Kavitha’s brother, lawyers and other relatives but showed no identity cards.

5. Kavitha’s brother KT Rama Rao was seen engaged in a fight with the ED officials. He asked them why they were not allowing the family members and whether they had transit remand to fly Kavitha from Hyderabad to New Delhi.

6. The arrest memo said a 14-page copy of the grounds of the arrest was served on Kavitha when she was arrested.

7. Kavitha’s husband D R Anil Kumar was informed in person about Kavitha’s arrest at 5.20pm, another ED document said.

8. Kavitha’s lawyer P Mohith Rao said the arrest was illegal because a petition is there in the Supreme Court which was even heard on Friday.

9. The BRS will hold a protest across Telangana in protest of Kavitha’s arrest just the day before the election dates are to be announced.

10. The party said it was pre-planned and that’s why the officials came on a Friday.