Supreme Court Grants Bail to K Kavitha in Delhi Liquor Policy Case.

Today, the Supreme Court of India granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in the Delhi liquor policy case. The court emphasised that the investigation had gathered sufficient evidence, making her continued custody unnecessary.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court referenced its earlier decision to grant bail to Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia in the same case. The court observed that the trial process would likely be lengthy, underscoring the need for equitable treatment.

The court also highlighted the importance of Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which allows for the beneficial treatment of women. It criticized the Delhi High Court’s previous ruling, which suggested that educated, sophisticated women might not be entitled to bail under this section.

“Courts should not differentiate between an MP and a common person,” the Supreme Court remarked, emphasizing the need for consistent legal standards.

During the proceedings, the prosecution alleged that Kavitha had deleted critical text messages and reformatted her mobile phones, suggesting evidence of tampering. Kavitha’s defence, however, dismissed these accusations, arguing that the practice of changing and deleting data from phones is common and should not be construed as destruction of evidence.

The Supreme Court, unconvinced by the prosecution’s claims, noted, “People delete messages,” and stressed that such behaviour is normal and not necessarily indicative of wrongdoing.