ED tells SC it will not summon Kavitha in Delhi excise case till Nov 20

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the probe agency will not summon BRS leader K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case till the court hears her plea on November 20.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, "Don't call her in the meantime."

Raju assured the bench that Kavitha will not be called for questioning till November 20.

The bench posted Kavitha's plea, in which she has challenged the summons issued by the agency on November 20, and said in matters where interim orders of protection are issued will be extended.

On September 15, the ED had told the apex court that the summons issued to Kavitha for her appearance before the agency will be extended by 10 days.

The ED had issued the summons dated September 4 to Kavitha, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, seeking her appearance at the agency's Delhi office on September 15.

She approached the apex court with an application seeking directions to restrain the ED from calling her by way of notice or summons under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during the pendency of her petition that is being heard by the top court in which she has sought protection from coercive action by the anti-money laundering agency.

Section 50 of the PMLA deals with powers of authorities regarding summons, production of documents, to give evidence etc.

The application also sought a stay on the operation of the September 4 summons or any other summons and "all coercive measures relating thereto".