Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam Chargesheet Names Former CM’s Son With Rs 250 Crore Alleged Share
Chargesheet claims massive liquor scam share.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) of Chhattisgarh police has alleged in its latest supplementary chargesheet that Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, received between Rs 200 crore and Rs 250 crore as his portion from an alleged liquor scam exceeding Rs 3,000 crore. The document accuses him of playing a central role in coordinating and protecting an extortion syndicate within the excise department during the previous Congress government from 2018 to 2023.
Filed before a special court on Monday, the 3,800-page seventh supplementary chargesheet names Chaitanya Baghel as an accused, marking the eighth overall in the case. It details his alleged involvement in directing officials and operatives, including arrested individuals such as Anil Tuteja, Soumya Chaurasia, Arunpati Tripathi, Anwar Dhebar, and others, to advance the syndicate's operations.
According to the chargesheet, Chaitanya Baghel managed illicit proceeds through trusted associates and received funds via companies linked to liquor businessman Trilok Singh Dhillon, routing money through banking channels to family firms and real estate investments. The probe estimates the total scam amount at approximately Rs 3,074 crore, with indications it could surpass Rs 3,500 crore.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating the money laundering aspect, previously arrested Chaitanya Baghel in July and stated he handled over Rs 1,000 crore in proceeds of crime. The alleged scam, operational between 2019 and 2022, reportedly involved illegal collections from liquor sales, causing substantial loss to the state exchequer.
Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, claiming central agencies are targeting opposition figures. The case has seen multiple arrests, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma and senior officials, since the FIR was registered in January 2024.
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