ED raids premises of Bhupesh Baghel's son in connection with liquor scam

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is conducting searches at 14 locations of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's son Chaitanya in Durg district of Chhattisgarh in connection with a liquor scam case.

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The Congress termed the raids as move by the Centre to divert attention from a raft of issues such as duplication of election voter ID cards, US President Donald Trump's claim that India has cut down tariffs on various products and the Manipur violence.

The raids begun on Monday morning.

According to sources, the ED had gathered that Chaitanya was a recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam wherein the total proceeds of crime — around Rs 2,161 crore — was siphoned off through various schemes. This led to a massive loss to the state exchequer, said the sources.

Several individuals, including bureaucrats and businessmen, have already been arrested in connection with the case.

The Congress charged that the ED raids were a “conspiracy” to “manage headlines” on a day when Parliament’s Budget session reconvened and the government faced questions from the Opposition on multiple issues.

Bhupesh Baghel’s office posted on X that a “false case” against him had been going on for the past seven years. He said no one would be able to stop the Congress in Punjab, where Baghel had just taken over as in-charge of party affairs.

“When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in the court, ED guests today entered the Bhilai residence of former Chief Minister and Congress general secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone is trying to stop the Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding,” Baghel posted on X.