In a significant turn of events related to the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam, Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering charges. His arrest followed a series of new raids on his Bhilai residence.
The ED is probing a multi-crore liquor scam that allegedly occurred during the last Congress regime as the state government. Official sources said financial irregularities on a large scale were detected in the operation and management of liquor licenses and the dealing of revenue earned through the state’s liquor business. The scam is estimated to be worth over ₹2,000 crore in illegal proceeds.
Sources familiar with the probe assert that Chaitanya Baghel was involved in the financial aspect of the money laundering allegedly connected to the scam. In the raids, officials from the ED allegedly seized key documents and evidence related to suspicious transactions. Some of the money is suspected to have been routed through shell companies and real estate enterprises believed to be linked with Chaitanya.
The arrest prompted political backlash, mainly from the Congress party. Bhupesh Baghel criticized the action, implying that it was politically motivated. It was also Chaitanya’s birthday, which Baghel termed a “gift” from the present central leadership. He also blamed the ruling BJP government for abusing central agencies to attack political opponents.
After the arrest, protests broke out in Raipur and Bhilai, as Congress workers organized protests in front of ED offices. Some party leaders said that the case was not backed by adequate evidence, and it was part of a larger series of harassments in the run-up to upcoming elections.
The ED, however, insists the probe is founded on reliable financial footprints and utterances gathered in previous raids. Chaitanya Baghel was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provisions and will be produced in court for further hearing.
The case is under active investigation, and additional arrests or summonses are anticipated in the weeks to come as the ED continues to tighten its oversight of the liquor business and related political links in Chhattisgarh.
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