The Supreme Court of India today, rejected the plea for relief of K Kavitha, a prominent leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and daughter of the former Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrasekhar Rao. Kavitha's appeal for respite stems from her recent entanglement in the infamous Delhi liquor scam case, wherein she was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The courtroom drama unfolded as Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Kavitha, expressed dismay over the prevailing situation in the country, particularly emphasizing the reliance on statements from approvers in legal proceedings. However, the special three-judge bench, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M Trivedi, and MM Sundresh, remained resolute in their stance, affirming that the trial court must be the avenue through which legal matters are addressed. The bench firmly asserted that political stature alone cannot warrant special treatment in the dispensation of justice.

This development marks a continuation of the legal saga surrounding Kavitha, who was previously granted interim protection from arrest by the Supreme Court on February 28, 2024, when she initially contested the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate. The investigation, rooted in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR, revolves around allegations of malpractice during the modification of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, subsequently scrapped amid accusations of corruption.

According to assertions made by both the CBI and the ED, irregularities occurred during the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy, with undue favors purportedly extended to license holders. The policy, which came into effect on November 17, 2021, was met with scrutiny and was ultimately annulled by the Delhi government by the close of September 2022.

Kavitha's involvement in this legal quagmire has further intensified with the CBI summoning her for questioning, a summons she had evaded citing numerous "pressing" public commitments. However, the apex court's decision today underscores the principle that legal matters of this nature must undergo due process in the trial court, rather than seeking special consideration based on political standing.