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that his associate Vijay Nair was coordinating the entire conspiracy. The ED said, “There are many branches of the scam involving government officials and middlemen and others.”
The central probe agency has also named BRS leader Kavita as part of the conspiracy. “A conspiracy was hatched by others in the South group including Nair and K Kavitha to make payments to Vijay Nair, among key players of the South group,” the ED told the court.
The statement of Buchibabu, former auditor of Kavita, was also read out in the court. ED said, ‘They have disclosed that there was a political understanding between Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and K Kavita. She also met Vijay Nair.
The ED also noted that “digital evidence was destroyed to derail the investigation”. The agency told the court that 14 phones were destroyed within a year. The agency claimed, “He (Sisodia) also used SIM cards and phones bought in other people’s names to make an excuse later.”
The ED said it is seeking Sisodia’s remand to probe the money trail. The ED said that Sisodia, in his statements, “remained false and gave answers contrary to the statements made by independent persons”.
Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Sisodia, argued that in money laundering cases, one must investigate the concealment, possession and use of funds and trace them back to the person. “However, in my case, not a single penny has been linked to me. It is amusing to suggest that Vinay Nair acted as Manish Sisodia’s representative. The investigating officers have failed to solve even a small part of the alleged money trail.”
After hearing the arguments, the court deferred its order on the Enforcement Directorate’s request for Manish Sisodia’s 10-day remand. Later, the court ruled to send AAP leader Manish Sisodia to ED custody till March 17.
Sisodia was arrested by the ED on Thursday after a second round of questioning at Tihar Jail in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy.
Sisodia has been in judicial custody since his arrest by the CBI on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-cancelled Delhi liquor or excise policy for 2021-22.
Has done nothing wrong, says the poem
Meanwhile, Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister MK Chandrasekhar Rao, has also been summoned by the ED in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the excise policy.
The ED had summoned her to appear on Thursday, but the agency agreed to her request to appear on March 11 as she has announced a hunger strike on March 10 in support of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
The BRS leader on Thursday said he had done nothing wrong and alleged that using investigative agencies to target politicians during elections has been the BJP’s modus operandi.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntla (44) said that since last June, the central government has been continuously sending agencies like ED to Telangana. Kavita alleged that it has conducted Income Tax raids on more than 500 businesses, NIA has raided 500 to 600 people, ED has raided 200 places and CBI has raided 100 places.
“It is not my issue alone. At least 15-16 leaders including MPs and MLAs have been targeted in different cases in our party.” The question is why? Telangana assembly elections are due in November-December. BJP’s modus operandi has been that before (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, wherever elections were held, the ED reached there. Do it in Telangana, that’s why they are using ED now, but we are not afraid.”
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