ED Arrests Ramgopal Agrawal Under PMLA In Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Chhattisgarh Congress leader and former party treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal in connection with an alleged liquor scam in the state. Officials said Agrawal was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and the agency is seeking his custodial interrogation as part of its investigation.

According to the ED, the alleged irregularities took place during the 2019-2022 period, when Chhattisgarh was governed by a Congress-led administration under then Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The agency has alleged that a network involving political figures and senior bureaucrats exercised control over the state’s excise operations, causing an estimated loss of Rs 2,883 crore to the state exchequer.

The agency has so far filed seven chargesheets in the case and named 85 accused, including several former government officials and political figures. Those named include Bhupesh Baghel’s son Chaitanya Baghel, former Chhattisgarh Excise Commissioner Niranjan Das, former Joint Secretary Anil Tuteja, former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma and former Deputy Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office Saumya Chaurasia.

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The ED has alleged that the liquor trade between 2019 and 2023 was operated through an organised network that manipulated the official excise system and generated illicit funds. The agency has described the alleged operation as a system in which political and administrative influence was used to facilitate the collection and movement of unaccounted money. These allegations form part of the agency’s ongoing money-laundering investigation.

The probe has also focused on allegations involving Chaitanya Baghel and the movement of alleged proceeds through investments in real estate. The ED has alleged that his real estate project, Vitthal Green, was used as a channel to convert illicit liquor-related funds into apparently legitimate investments. These allegations remain part of the agency’s case and are yet to be established through a final judicial determination.

Agrawal’s arrest marks the latest development in the long-running investigation into the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam. The ED is now seeking custody of the Congress leader for further questioning, while the agency continues to pursue its allegations against other accused persons named in its chargesheets. The case involves multiple political leaders and former officials, with the investigation continuing into the alleged financial network behind the liquor trade.

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