The Supreme Court of India granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case, citing the completion of the investigation and her five-month custody as excessive. The court criticized the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for basing their case on inferences rather than solid evidence, affirming that deleting phone messages is not inherently criminal. Political reactions varied, with Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar accusing Congress of collusion in securing Kavitha's bail, while BRS leaders celebrated the decision and condemned the opposition's derogatory remarks. The court emphasized that undertrial custody should not become a punishment and acknowledged special provisions for women under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).