A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Raipur extended the judicial custody of Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, until August 18 in a high-profile money laundering case tied to an alleged liquor scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) requested the 14-day extension after Chaitanya’s initial judicial remand ended, citing ongoing investigations into his alleged role in handling over ₹1,000 crore in illicit proceeds, with ₹16.7 crore reportedly funneled into his real estate ventures, including the Vitthal Green Project.
Chaitanya was arrested on July 18, 2025, following raids at his Bhilai residence, shared with his father, a senior Congress leader. The ED alleges the scam, which caused a ₹2,161 crore loss to the state exchequer, operated between 2019 and 2022 under the Congress-led government. Key figures arrested earlier include former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, businessman Anwar Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and Arunpati Tripathi, with a January 2024 FIR naming 70 individuals and entities.
The ED claims the syndicate, allegedly led by Anwar Dhebar, manipulated liquor sales through duplicate holograms and a rigged licensing system, generating massive illegal commissions shared “as per directions from the highest political executives.” A key witness, Laxmi Narayan Bansal, alleged Chaitanya coordinated the transfer of over ₹1,000 crore, including ₹80-100 crore delivered to one KK Srivastava.
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Bhupesh Baghel has denounced the ED’s actions as politically motivated, accusing the central government of targeting opposition leaders to suppress dissent over issues like illegal tree felling for coal mines in Raigarh, which Congress planned to raise in the state assembly. On July 22, Congress staged statewide “chakka jam” protests against Chaitanya’s arrest, with supporters clashing with police outside his residence.
Despite the allegations, Bhupesh Baghel maintains faith in the judiciary and vows cooperation. The case, which saw the Supreme Court quash an earlier ED probe in 2024, continues to stir political tensions, with assets worth ₹205 crore attached so far. As investigations deepen, Chhattisgarh’s liquor scam remains a flashpoint in the state’s political landscape.
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