The Enforcement Directorate is conducting searches in as many as 14 locations related to former Congress chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son in Chhattisgarh, in connection with alleged liquor scam in the state. The premises of other suspects in the case are also being searched by the central agency.
Searches began in the early hours of Monday, at the residence of Chaitanya Baghel, Bhupesh Baghel’s son, and his alleged associates in connection with the money laundering case. As per the central agency, Chaitanya has received proceeds of the alleged scam.
According to reports, the premises of Chaitanya in Bhillai, his alleged close associate Laxmi Narayan Bansal and a few others are being searched by the central agency. Chaitanya shares his residence with his father, Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel.
As per the central agency, the alleged scam which was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022, during the previous Congress regime in the state, caused severe loss to the state exchequer and the suspects received over Rs 2,100 crore as proceeds of crime.
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Earlier, ED had arrested former minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma; Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar; former IAS officer Anil Tuteja; Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi and a few others in connection with the case. ED has till now attached assets worth about Rs 205 crore of various accused in the case.
The former chief minister however dismissed the allegations and charged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre is trying to hinder Congress’s progress in Punjab through the raids. Baghel is the Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab. His office tweeted court had dismissed this ‘false case’. “Today, the guests of ED have entered the Bhilai residence of former Chief Minister, Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel. If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding,” ANI reported quoting his office.