Chhattisgarh: ED raids on Bhupesh Baghel's son in 'liquor scam' case

The ED (Enforcement Directorate) on Monday, 10 March conducted raids at 14 locations in Chhattisgarh, including premises linked to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, as part of a probe into an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case, the Indian Express reported.

The premises of Chaitanya Baghel in Bhilai and some other persons located elsewhere in the state are being searched under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), sources are reported to have said.

Tweeting about the raid, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera wrote in an X post in Hindi, "Today as the Parliament (Budget) session begins, the BJP, which is surrounded from all sides, in order to change the headlines and divert the country's attention from tariffs, a falling economy, voter list fraud etc, got the ED to raid the house of senior Congress leader @bhupeshbaghel this morning. The BJP should understand that it will neither be able to stop the Congress nor any of our leaders. Neither are we afraid, nor will we be afraid."

Chaitanya Baghel shares the Bhilai accommodation with his father, and some 'links' are said to have emerged between Chaitanya Baghel and the liquor syndicate which are being probed, the sources said. About 14-15 premises are being raided in the state, they said.

The ED investigation pertains to a purported liquor scam that allegedly emerged between 2019 and 2022, during Bhupesh Baghel's tenure as chief minister. The agency claims that this scam led to significant losses to the state exchequer, with a liquor syndicate reportedly diverting over Rs 2,100 crore as proceeds of crime.

In response to the raids, Bhupesh Baghel's office issued a statement suggesting that these actions are part of a conspiracy to hinder the Congress party's activities, particularly in Punjab, a state for which Baghel was chosen as general-secretary earlier this year. The statement emphasised that such attempts would not deter the party's efforts.

"If someone is trying to stop the Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding," Bhupesh Baghel posted on X.

On 4 March, a special CBI court in Raipur discharged Bhupesh Baghel in a 2017 alleged sex CD case, citing lack of evidence. Raipur special magistrate (CBI) Bhupesh Kumar Basant considered Baghel's discharge application and granted him relief, noting that there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove the allegations levelled against him in the chargesheet filed in the case, senior counsel Manish Datt told PTI.

The court noted that no case was made out against the 63-year-old Congress leader, the counsel said. In his X post, he wrote, "Because the court dismissed a seven-year-old false case against me, the guests from ED arrived at my residence in Bhilai this morning."

Following the CBI court's decision, Baghel had earlier expressed his relief and reiterated his stance that the allegations were politically motivated, tweeting, 'satyamev jayate (truth alone triumphs)' and emphasising his belief in the judicial process.

Earlier, the ED had arrested former minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma in the alleged liquor 'scam' in January apart from Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of Raipur mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi and some others as part of its investigation.

The alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh, as per the ED, was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022, when a Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel rued the state. The agency has attached assets worth about Rs 205 crore of various accused as part of its probe so far.

The current raids are part of ongoing efforts to uncover the extent of the alleged scam and trace the flow of illicit funds, according to the ED.

With PTI inputs