Ex-Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s Son Arrested By ED in Liquor ‘Scam’
Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with a money laundering investigation into an alleged multi-crore liquor scam.
The high-profile arrest, which took place on Chaitanya’s birthday, followed searches conducted by the central agency earlier in the day. The ED stated that the action was initiated based on fresh evidence gathered in the case.
According to the agency, Chaitanya Baghel is suspected to have been a “recipient” of the proceeds of crime from the alleged Rs 2,160-crore liquor scam. The ED alleges the scam took place between 2019 and 2023, during the tenure of the Congress government led by his father. The agency claims a “parallel” liquor distribution system was run in the state, causing substantial losses to the exchequer.
Speaking to the media while the raids were underway, Bhupesh Baghel launched a scathing attack on the central government, alleging a political conspiracy. “To please their master, Modi and Shah have sent the ED to my house. We are not going to be scared or bow down,” he said. “They are misusing the ED, IT, CBI, DRI to suppress opposition leaders. But now, people of the country have understood and are well aware.”
This is a major development in the ongoing investigation, which has seen several high-profile arrests, including former state minister Kawasi Lakhma, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and Anwar Dhebar, brother of the Raipur Mayor. The agency has so far attached assets worth around Rs 205 crore in the case.
The ED’s investigation is based on a fresh case registered after the Supreme Court quashed its initial complaint in 2024. Subsequently, the agency provided material to the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which filed a new FIR on January 17 last year. This was about a month after the BJP defeated the Congress to form the government in the state.
The EOW’s FIR named 70 individuals and companies. The ED alleges that the illegal commissions generated from the scam were distributed “as per the directions from the highest political executives of the state” at the time.
