KTR questions arrest sans transit warrant; says ED undermining SC directive
BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao objected to Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s move to arrest party MLC and his sister K. Kavitha on Friday without a transit warrant.
Tension mounted outside Ms.Kavitha’s residence soon after the ED conducted searches.
Mr.Rama Rao, accompanied by former Minister T.Harish Rao, rushed to the residence of Ms.Kavitha. Video clips of Mr.Rama Rao engaged in a heated argument with ED officials was circulated by the BRS media team.
In the clip, Mr.Rama Rao is seen questioning the officials about arresting Ms.Kavitha without a proper transit warrant. He reminded them that the ED officials had giving in writing that they would not arrest the BRS MLC.
Warns of trouble
Mr.Rama Rao is also heard saying that the ED officials would face trouble for failing to keep up the promise that it had made to the Supreme Court.
Later, he took to ‘◣’, accusing the BJP government of abusing power and misusing institutions to settle political scores: “Abuse of power and institutional misuse to settle political scores is something that has become increasingly common with BJP Govt in last 10 years.ED needs to answer the Supreme Court on the inordinate rush to arrest when the matter is very much subjudice & up for review in a couple of days, on the 19th March. What’s even more appalling is the ED undermining its own undertaking given to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Justice shall prevail and we will continue to fight legally.”
Mr. Rama Rao is presently at his sister’s house along with her children. He is likely to go to New Delhi to extend moral support to Ms.Kavitha.
‘Planned’ move
He also alleged that the ED team had deliberately come on a Friday. He also took serious exception to the ED officials’ directive that no one should enter the house even after the searches had been completed. He questioned the officials on how they could arrest Mr. Kavitha while claiming that it was not possible to produce her before the magistrate today.
Officials defended their move by stating that an aggrieved person can take recourse to legal remedy. One official is heard asking how the BRS leaders had entered the house. An ED team member can also be seen recording the proceedings.
Meanwhile, BRS cadres raised slogans against the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting their leader.