The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at multiple locations linked to Chaitanya Baghel, the son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the state’s alleged liquor scam.
Chaitanya Baghel’s name came up during the ED’s ongoing investigation into a money laundering case connected to the scam. Raids are currently underway at 14 locations across Chhattisgarh at premises linked to the former Chief Minister’s son and some other individuals connected to the case as well.
According to a probe agency official, the ED has found that Chaitanya Baghel is also the recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the scam wherein the total proceeds amount to about Rs 2,161 crore, siphoned off via various schemes.
“During the investigation, we have uncovered some evidence that links Chaitanya Baghel to the scam. Based on the existing evidence, we are conducting these searches,” ED sources told India Today.
The ED investigation has uncovered a complex network allegedly involving senior bureaucrats, politicians, and officials from the Excise Department. This syndicate is accused of operating a “parallel” excise system, wherein unaccounted liquor was sold through government-run outlets without proper documentation, thereby diverting substantial revenue away from the state.
The modus operandi purportedly included the use of duplicate holograms and bottles to facilitate the sale of illicit liquor.
In July 2023, the ED filed a prosecution complaint, naming key individuals such as Anwar Dhebar, brother of Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar; former IAS officer Anil Tuteja; and Arunpati Tripathi, Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL).
The agency alleged that these individuals played pivotal roles in orchestrating the scam, which involved manipulating procurement processes and accepting commissions from select liquor manufacturers. The ED’s investigation revealed that the alleged corruption led to a loss of Rs 2,161 crore to the state exchequer. In response, the agency has attached properties worth approximately Rs 205.49 crore linked to various accused individuals, including businessmen and former bureaucrats.
Bhupesh Baghel has previously denied allegations related to the scam, labelling the ED’s actions as politically motivated. Condemning the raids, the former Chief Minister said in a tweet that the ED action today comes even after the “false case going on for seven years was dismissed in the court”.
As per the ED, the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022, when a Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel rued the state.