Hyderabad, March 12 CBI officials served a notice from the Delhi High Court to Telangana Jagruthi president K Kavitha here in connection with the excise policy case.
Kavitha, in a post on 'X', said she received the notice from the central investigating agency.
In the notice, Kavitha, who was among those discharged in the case by a Delhi court recently, was informed that the application/petition filed by the CBI against the trial court's decision is fixed for hearing on March 16.
"If you wish to argue anything against the application/petition, you are free to do so on the date fixed or any other date to which the case may be postponed. Also, please note that if you do not appear on the fixed date and in the manner above, the application/petition will be heard and decided ex parte in your absence," the notice read.
She further said she is in consultation with her legal team and will respond appropriately through official channels.
Kavitha, daughter of BRS president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said she would fully cooperate with the legal process.
"Serving a notice when an appeal is filed by the investigating agency in a higher court is the prescribed legal procedure, and I request all relevant stakeholders to NOT misinterpret this in any way that could undermine the sanctity of our legal framework," the former MP said.
The Delhi High Court on March 9 stayed a trial court recommendation on initiating departmental action against the CBI's investigating officer in the excise policy case and sought the stand of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and 22 others on a petition by the agency challenging their discharge in the matter.
Issuing notice to all 23 accused, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said that certain observations and findings of the trial court at the stage of framing of charges "prima facie appear erroneous and need consideration".
The court listed the matter for hearing on March 16 and directed that replies be filed by Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and others by then.
On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others including Kavitha, criticizing the CBI by saying that its case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.
