Major Asset Seizure in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam Investigation
The Enforcement Directorate's Raipur zonal office has made a significant move in the ongoing liquor scam investigation by provisionally attaching assets worth ₹61.20 crore belonging to Chaitanya Baghel, who is the son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. This action represents a major development in the money-laundering probe that has been shaking the state's political circles.
Details of the Attached Properties
The attachment, executed on November 10 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), encompasses both immovable and movable assets. According to ED officials, the seized holdings include valuable residential plots and agricultural parcels with an estimated value of approximately ₹59.96 crore. Additionally, the agency has frozen bank balances and fixed deposits totaling around ₹1.24 crore.
This substantial seizure follows an extensive investigation initiated by the ED based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) in Raipur. Police inquiries into the liquor allotment and licensing process in Chhattisgarh have revealed that the scam caused enormous financial damage to the state exchequer, generating proceeds of crime exceeding ₹2,500 crore that were allegedly diverted to benefit a network of accused individuals.
Central Role in Liquor Syndicate Alleged
ED investigators have made serious allegations against Chaitanya Baghel, claiming he occupied a central position in the alleged liquor syndicate and functioned as the controller of its accounts. The probe statement asserts that he supervised the collection, channelization, and distribution of illicit funds, subsequently using sophisticated methods to "layer" these proceeds through his real-estate business to present them as legitimate income.
The Enforcement Directorate specifically mentioned that the illicit funds were invested into a real-estate project named "Vitthal Green" under his proprietorship, M/s Baghel Developers. This sophisticated money laundering operation allegedly helped conceal the illegal origins of the funds generated through the liquor scam.
Chaitanya Baghel's legal troubles escalated when he was arrested by the ED on July 18, 2025, and he currently remains in judicial custody as the investigation continues to unfold.
Broader Multi-Agency Probe and Previous Actions
This latest attachment forms part of a comprehensive, multi-agency investigation that has already resulted in several high-profile arrests. The ED has previously detained former bureaucrat Anil Tuteja (Ex-IAS) and prominent businessmen including Arvind Singh, Trilok Singh Dhillon, Anwar Dhebar, Arun Pati Tripathi (ITS), and Kawasi Lakhma—who served as the then excise minister and is currently an MLA.
The agency emphasized that the current ₹61.20 crore attachment follows earlier provisional seizures of immovable property valued at approximately ₹215 crore, indicating a sustained effort to freeze assets believed to represent the proceeds of crime. This demonstrates the scale and seriousness of the ongoing investigation into the liquor allotment irregularities.
A provisional attachment under PMLA serves as an interim legal measure that prevents the alleged proceeds of crime from being transferred or alienated while investigations and prosecution proceedings continue. ED teams have committed to continuing their forensic accounting efforts, conducting detailed examinations of property records, analyzing bank transaction trails, and scrutinizing seized documents to thoroughly track the flow of funds and identify any additional accomplices or facilitators involved in the scheme.
