A special court in Raipur remanded Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, to 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday in a money laundering case tied to an alleged Rs 2,100 crore liquor scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chaitanya on July 18 after raiding his Bhilai residence, which he shares with his father, a senior Congress leader.
The ED alleges Chaitanya handled over Rs 1,000 crore in proceeds of crime from the scam, which operated between 2019 and 2022 under the Congress-led government. He reportedly received Rs 16.7 crore, laundered through his real estate ventures, including the Vitthal Green Project under Baghel Developers. Raids on the firm’s accountant revealed discrepancies, with Rs 5 crore funneled through Saheli Jewellers, a shell firm, disguised as flat purchases.
During five days of ED custody, Chaitanya was confronted with statements, including those from co-accused Laxmi Narayan Bansal, who claimed to have moved Rs 1,000 crore on Chaitanya’s instructions. The ED’s counsel, Saurabh Kumar Pande, said Chaitanya conceded several points, and with little left to interrogate, the court sent him to jail until August 4.
Also Read: Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: ED Arrests Bhupesh Baghel’s Son in ₹2,161 Crore Liquor Scam Probe
Bhupesh Baghel called the arrest a political vendetta to suppress Congress’s protests against illegal tree felling for an Adani-linked coal mine in Tamnar, Raigarh. Congress staged statewide “chakka jam” protests on Tuesday, alleging misuse of central agencies. Bhupesh expressed trust in the judiciary but criticized the timing, noting it coincided with his son’s birthday and the assembly’s final day.
The ED claims the scam, orchestrated by a syndicate involving Anwar Dhebar, Anil Tuteja, and others, caused a Rs 3,100 crore loss to the state exchequer, with commissions shared under “highest political executives’” directions. Assets worth Rs 205 crore have been attached, and arrests include former minister Kawasi Lakhma and others. The probe, sparked by a January 2024 FIR by Chhattisgarh’s EOW/ACB, continues to unravel a web of political and corporate collusion.
Chaitanya’s lawyers, Faisal Rizvi and Harshwardhan Parganiha, denied the allegations, citing his legitimate income from a 200-acre agriculture business. The case, with 70 accused named, remains a political flashpoint as Chhattisgarh gears up for future elections.
Also Read: Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: ED Arrests Bhupesh Baghel’s Son in ₹2,161 Crore Liquor Scam Probe