The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at 14 premises in Chhattisgarh's Durg district targeting properties of Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and others.
The raids were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of a pending investigation into the suspected Rs 2,161 crore liquor scandal in the state.
ED officials raided Chaitanya Baghel's house, as well as properties related to his close friends and businessman Laxmi Narayan Bansal, popularly referred to as Pappu Bansal. Officials say they have found proof that Chaitanya Baghel was one of the recipients of illegal money earned through the scam.
In January, the ED had arrested former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma on charges of being at the centre of the illicit liquor racket. The agency claims that Lakhma used to get Rs 2 crore as bribe money every month and did not act against the racket. Officials also allege that scam proceeds were channeled into real estate investments, leading to huge financial losses to the state exchequer.
The ED's recent operation has set off political storm in Chhattisgarh. The opposition parties have stepped up charges of corruption, and Congress supporters picketed outside Bhupesh Baghel's house, terming the raids as atrocities. Former CM's office also downplayed the move as a politically motivated step, tweeting from X: "When the spurious case for seven years has been rejected by the court, the ED also reached the home of former Chief Minister and General Secretary of the Congress Bhupesh Baghel in Bhilai this morning. If they are trying to destabilize Punjab Congress through the conspiracy, then they are under wrong impression.
The supposed liquor scam has been reported as occurring between the years 2019 and 2022 by the ED when the Congress government was in power under Baghel. Assets totalling Rs 205 crore have been confiscated as of now, belonging to a number of the accused. Further updates are being anticipated in the near future while the investigation is still ongoing.
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