The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha in the Delhi liquor row case, in Hyderabad at her residence for nearly seven-and-a-half hours on December 11, 2022.
A team of officials led by Deputy Inspector General Raghavendra Vatsa, and a woman officer, who arrived here from New Delhi entered her residence at Banjara Hills at around 11 a.m., and the questioning continued till about 6.30 p.m.
The CBI, as per earlier communication with Ms. Kavitha, served notices on her under Cr. PC Section 160 (police officer’s power to require attendance of witnesses) for her questioning and recording the statement.
Reportedly, the procedure was planned in her office in the lower level of her residence, in the presence of her lawyer.
The high-profile development continued to spark sensation among political circles in the State ever since Ms. Kavitha’s name appeared in the November 30 remand report of accused Amit Arora in the case, filed by the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi.
Ms. Kavitha, following the first such official disclosure, had reacted strongly by saying she was “even ready to go to jail, if need be”, and described that the several raids and notices by Central agencies, and the ‘media leaks’, were the “BJP’s pre-election ploy”.
The report had also mentioned that Ms. Kavitha had changed her cellphones several times in a span of two years. The ruling TRS party, its leaders and cadres here, however, were tactful in attributing the Central agency’s actions to the Centre. It also took care and left no stone unturned to make Ms. Kavitha feel secure and strong all through the past fortnight.
On multiple occasions, she also met her father and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao over the development and reportedly sought advice.
On Sunday, ahead of her questioning, the Banjara Hills area leading to her residence was covered with pink flexis as an expression of solidarity. Flexis with pictures of the father-daughter duo read: “Daughter of fighter will never fear”, and “We are with Kavithakka” banners.
An unusually large number of police personnel too made the Sunday different for the locals in and around the area, who were mostly confined to their homes, and the place as a result appeared desolate.
The place was also heavily barricaded and the cadres were strictly instructed not to be present anywhere near her residence to avoid any untoward situation.
As of 8 p.m., neither Ms. Kavitha nor the investigating agency disclosed any information to the press over the day’s developments. It was not clear if the CBI recorded her statement, or if it would require her attendance for questioning again.
It was said that Ms. Kavitha would release a statement to the press shortly
