K Kavitha after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate
BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested at 5:20 pm on Friday evening, but 40 minutes later, at 6pm, people claiming to be her brother and lawyers entered the Telangana leader's Banjara Hills home unlawfully and delayed the proceedings, the Enforcement Directorate has claimed.
Ms Kavitha, a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in Telangana and the daughter of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested today in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
"At around 6 pm, few persons who claimed themselves as brother of K Kavitha, lawyers and other persons around 20 in number entered the premises unlawfully. On being asked their identity, none showed their identity. A ruckus was created which delayed the proceedings," said the central probe agency, which investigates financial frauds.
The searches began at 1:45 pm and concluded at 6:45 pm, said the agency.
In a dramatic video, Ms Kavitha's brother and former Telangana minister KT Rama Rao can be seen confronting agency officials after he was asked how family members had entered the house.
Mr Rao accused the officials of violating an undertaking the agency had given to the Supreme Court. "You are in serious trouble," he is heard saying on camera. Legal remedies are available, an ED shot back.
"After the due process of law, K Kavitha was arrested under section 19 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at 5:20 pm," said the central agency, adding that five mobiles were seized in the searches.
"The search was conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner and no damage to the person or property was caused during the course of the search. During the search proceedings, no religious sentiments of anybody were hurt and Covid 19 protocol was followed," the agency added.
Videos also showed the agency's cars being surrounded when they were leaving with Ms Kavitha.
Mr Rao has, however, claimed the family is cooperating with the agency. Terming the arrest illegal, he said he and other senior leaders have asked party workers to remain peaceful and not prevent the arrest.
The Enforcement Directorate has claimed that Ms Kavitha was part of a lobby called the 'South Group', which played a key role in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
The BRS leader has said in the past that she had done nothing illegal, and accused the BJP of using the ED for political gains.