Bail only after ED, CBI responses: Supreme Court tells BRS's Kavitha
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court told BRS leader K Kavitha that she will be granted bail in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam only after getting responses from CBI and ED. A bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan sought responses from the CBI and ED on Monday, and PTI reported.
The apex court agreed on Monday to hear Kavitha's pleas challenging the Delhi High Court ruling last month, denying her bail in said cases.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ms Kavitha, told the bench that she has been in custody for around five months and the chargesheet and prosecution complaint have been filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), respectively.
A prosecution complaint is the ED's equivalent of a chargesheet.
Rohatgi said there were around 500 witnesses in both these cases.
Contending that she was entitled to bail, Mr Rohatgi referred to the Supreme Court's verdict and order passed on the pleas filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia.
The top court had granted interim bail to Mr Kejriwal in the money laundering case linked to the alleged scam. Mr Sisodia was granted bail in both the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
Rohatgi said Ms Kavitha's case was covered by the top court's orders.
"We will issue notice," the bench said.
"May I pray for interim bail," Mr Rohatgi said.
The bench observed, "Not without hearing them (CBI and ED)".
The bench then issued notices to the CBI and the ED seeking their responses on Ms Kavitha's pleas and posted the matter for hearing on August 20.