Raipur: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at 14 locations across Chhattisgarh, including premises linked to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The searches are part of an ongoing money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the state’s liquor industry.
According to ED officials, Chaitanya Baghel allegedly received proceeds of crime from liquor contracts. A senior officer stated that out of the ₹2,161 crore involved in the scam, a portion was traced to him. The alleged irregularities took place between 2019 and 2022 when officials from the state-run Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Ltd were accused of accepting bribes from liquor distillers.
The case has triggered a political battle, with the former Congress-led state government accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of using the ED to target opposition leaders. The Union government has defended the agency’s actions, asserting that the investigation is based on evidence.
In July 2023, the ED filed a charge sheet alleging that ₹776 crore of the ₹2,161 crore collected by the main accused, Anwar Debhar, was funneled to political executives. The charge sheet has since been quashed, but the agency continues to pursue the case, with fresh raids intensifying scrutiny on the financial dealings of key figures linked to the previous administration.
