Chhattisgarh: ED Arrests Ex-CM Baghel’s Son After Raids In Their House Over Liquor Scam
Sent to 5-day remand; Baghel said the ED raided his home in the past also and found Rs 33 lakh. He accused the BJP of misusing the Central probe agencies and added that he would fully cooperate. “I believe in democracy and judiciary”, he said
Raipur: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son Chaitanya after conducting searches in their residence in Bhilai, around 35 km from her, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the liquor scam, that took place during the previous Congress government in the state.
Chaitanya was later produced in a local court which remanded him to five-day custody of ED. This is the second time in the last seven months, the ED conducted searches in their house.
Mr. Baghel called the ED’s actions as a ‘gift on my son’s birthday’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. He alleged that pressure was being put on him in the form of raids in his house by the ED to prevent him from raising the issue of trees being felled for a coal mine project of the Adani Group in Tamnar area in Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh.
The former chief minister took to X to break out the news of ED raids in his house in the morning, saying, “ED has arrived. Today is the last day of the Assembly (monsoon) session. The issue relating to tree felling in Tamnar area for Adani was supposed to be raised in the House today. Saheb (sir) has sent ED to (my) Bhilai residence”.
The Congress boycotted the proceedings of the House on Friday in protest against raids by ED in the residence of Mr. Baghel and arrest of his son. Later, talking to reporters, Mr. Baghel said he will not be intimidated by such actions by the Central probe agency and will never bow down.
The former chief minister alleged that he was being targeted by the Centre for opposing the illegal tree felling for the coal mines project of the Adani Group. He also regretted the ED raids were conducted in his residence on his son’s birthday.
Taking to X, he said “The way the birthday gift is given by Modi and Shah ji, no one else in any democracy in the world can think of. On my birthday, the highly respected leaders sent ED to the houses of my advisor and two OSDs. Now, on my son’s birthday, the ED team is conducting searches in my house. The gifts will be remembered for a lifetime”.
Mr. Baghel said the ED raided his home in the past also and found Rs 33 lakh. He accused the BJP of misusing the Central probe agencies and added that he would fully cooperate. “I believe in democracy and judiciary”, he said.
The ED had earlier unearthed the Rs 3,200 crore liquor scam that took place during the tenure of the Bhupesh Baghel government, while citing how a syndicate of senior bureaucrats, politicians and businessmen allegedly sold the liquor outside the government outlets, leading to loss of Rs 2,100 crore to the state exchequer then.
Former excise minister in the Bhupesh Baghel government, Kawasi Lakma, was earlier arrested in this connection.
