The Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) conducted simultaneous raids at 39 locations across the state on Tuesday, targeting a multi-crore liquor scam allegedly orchestrated between 2019 and 2022 under the Congress-led government.

The operation led to the recovery of over Rs 90 lakh in cash, alongside crucial documents, digital data, mobile phones, electronic devices, gold, silver, and records of investments in immovable properties, according to an EOW official.

The raids spanned districts including Durg, Dhamtari, and Mahasamund, focusing on residences and business establishments linked to prime suspects. Investigations revealed that these individuals had funneled illicit gains into various businesses and properties through intermediaries. The EOW is now analyzing the seized materials, with further legal action underway.

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This follows earlier raids on May 17, when the EOW targeted 13 locations connected to associates of Congress MLA and former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January for his alleged role in the scam. Lakhma, a six-time MLA from Konta, remains in Raipur Central Jail.

The ED, which is probing the money laundering angle, estimates the scam caused a loss of over Rs 2,100 crore to the state exchequer, with illegal proceeds benefiting a syndicate of senior bureaucrats, politicians, their associates, and excise officials.

The EOW’s FIR, filed last year based on an ED report, names 70 individuals and companies, including several Congress leaders. Notably, the ED alleges that during Lakhma’s tenure, Rs 776 crore of the scam’s proceeds went to “political executives.”

The Congress has dismissed the raids as politically motivated, with former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel accusing the BJP of misusing agencies to target opposition leaders. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has vowed that no culprits will be spared, emphasizing ongoing investigations based on complaints.

The raids mark a significant escalation in the probe, which continues to unravel the complex financial web behind one of Chhattisgarh’s largest excise scandals.

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