Major Asset Attachment in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam Investigation
The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached assets valued at Rs 61.20 crore belonging to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the alleged liquor scam that rocked the state.
According to the official statement released by the central agency, the attached properties include extensive immovable assets comprising 364 pieces of residential and agricultural land worth approximately Rs 59.96 crore. Additionally, movable properties including bank balances and fixed deposits amounting to Rs 1.24 crore have been seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Details of the Alleged Scam and Money Trail
The controversial liquor scam is alleged to have operated between 2019 and 2022 during the Congress government's tenure under Bhupesh Baghel's leadership. Investigators claim that a powerful syndicate consisting of senior state bureaucrats, politicians, and Excise Department officials established a parallel system for liquor sales that caused an estimated loss of over Rs 2,500 crore to the state exchequer.
The ED investigation reveals that Chaitanya Baghel allegedly utilized proceeds of crime generated from this scam to develop his real estate project named Vitthal Green under his proprietorship concern, M/s Baghel Developers. This latest attachment of Rs 61.20 crore represents a continuation of earlier actions where immovable properties valued at approximately Rs 215 crore were attached by the agency.
Legal Proceedings and Political Reactions
In a significant development earlier this year, the Enforcement Directorate submitted a supplementary prosecution complaint before a special PMLA court in Raipur. The court documents allege that Chaitanya Baghel personally handled around Rs 1,000 crore generated from the alleged liquor scam operations.
Chaitanya Baghel was arrested by the ED on July 18 this year and currently remains in judicial custody. The arrest sparked strong political reactions, with former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel claiming that his son's detention was politically motivated and conducted without proper prior notice or inquiry.
Baghel senior had previously stated that the action against his son was retaliation for his opposition to an Adani coal mining project in Raigarh district. He specifically mentioned that 5,000 trees were cut overnight in the presence of forest officials for the mining project, and his political stance on environmental issues led to targeted action against his family.
The case continues to develop as the ED expands its investigation into the complex money laundering network allegedly connected to the liquor scam that operated during the previous state administration.
