Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: Ex-CM Baghel’s Son’s Judicial Custody Extended By 14 Days
Chaitanya Baghel’s judicial custody extended till August 18 in ₹3,200 crore liquor scam case; ED alleges ₹1,000 crore laundering
Raipur: A local court here on Monday extended the judicial custody of Chaitanya, son of Congress veteran and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, by 14 days till August 18 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the liquor scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) which arrested Junior Baghel on July 18 following searches in the house of his father in Bhilai, nearly 35 km from here, on Monday sought an extension of his judicial remand by 14 days, his counsel Faisal Rizvi said.
The ED while producing Chaitanya in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here following his arrest on July 18 had submitted that Junior Baghel had handled more than Rs 1,000 crore worth of ‘proceeds of crime’ generated from a ‘liquor scam’ in the state and used Rs 16.7 crore for the development of his real estate project.
The alleged liquor scam, the size of which was estimated at around Rs 3,200 crore, took place in Chhattisgarh in 2019-2022 when the Senior Baghel was the chief minister.
The probe agency in January had arrested former excise minister Kawasi Lakma, besides Anwar Dewar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathy and some others as part of its investigation into the case.
The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Chhattisgarh police registered the FIR on January 17 last year and named 70 individuals including the former excise minister Lakma and former chief secretary Vivek Dhand.
The ED had found that a cartel of some bureaucrats, politicians and businessmen had orchestrated the multi-crore scam.
Former chief minister Mr. Baghel had accused the BJP of misusing the Central probe agencies to victimize the political opponents.
He however said that he would cooperate with the investigating agencies and he has full faith in the judiciary.
