The Enforcement Directorate has alleged in a chargesheet that Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, was the “controller and ultimate authority” of an “organised liquor syndicate” in the state, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.

The agency claimed it had established that Chaitanya Baghel personally handled about Rs 1,000 crore generated from the alleged scam.

The ED filed the chargesheet before the court of District and Additional Sessions Judge (VI) Damarudhar Chouhan on Monday.

On July 18, Chaitanya Baghel was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act following searches by the central agency at his home in Durg district’s Bhilai. An unidentified official had told PTI at the time that the arrest was based on the receipt of fresh evidence in the case.

In its chargesheet, the agency alleged that the syndicate was set up in 2019, when Bhupesh Baghel was the chief minister.

Indian Administrative Services officer Anil Tuteja and Anward Dhebar – both co-accused in the alleged scam who have been named in previous chargesheets – were chosen as the face of the syndicate to handle the day-to-day operations, the ED alleged.

On Chaitanya Baghel’s role in money laundering, the ED alleged that he stood at “the apex of this syndicate” and had a “commanding and decisive” role in handling funds, The Hindu reported.

“He was responsible for maintaining the [accounts] of all illicit funds collected by the syndicate,” The Hindu quoted the chargesheet as having alleged. “All major decisions relating to collection, channelisation, and distribution of funds were taken under his instructions. His position as the chief minister’s son made him the controller and ultimate authority of the syndicate.”

The chargesheet alleged that Chaitanya Baghel “knowingly assisted in the concealment, possession, acquisition and use of proceeds of crime, acting in conspiracy with other members of the syndicate”, according to The Indian Express.

In July, the ED had said that Chaitanya Baghel was named in the case on the basis of a statement by Laxmi Narayan Bansal who had told the agency about handling more than Rs 1,000 crore that was made from the scam.

Denying the allegations, his lawyer Faisal Rizvi argued that the arrest was made on the basis of “fabricated statements”.

Rizvi told The Indian Express that the ED was relying on the statement of Bansal, against whom a permanent warrant had been issued by the Economic Offences Wing in May.

“In the first week of June, the ED recorded his statement and, based on it, arrested Chaitanya,” Rizvi told The Indian Express. “Such a person [Bansal] can say anything to save himself. He is neither a witness nor has the ED named him as an accused.”

Bhupesh Baghel had earlier claimed that his son’s arrest was “politically motivated” because he opposed the Adani coal mining project in Raigarh, the newspaper reported.

He also said that while a court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Bansal, he continues to move freely and give statements. “It is understandable how these agencies, the government and the Bharatiya Janata Party respect the court,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.

The liquor scam

The Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a first information report in the alleged liquor scam in January 2024 based on the Enforcement Directorate’s complaints.

The FIR accused 70 persons of involvement in the alleged scam, including former state Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, Special Secretary Arun Pati Tripathi and Tuteja.

They have been charged with corruption, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Lakhma, a six-time MLA from Konta in Sukma district, was arrested in the case by the central agency in January.

Although the Enforcement Directorate had filed a prosecution complaint last year, Lakhma and others were linked to the case in the latest FIR.

In March, searches were conducted in 14 locations in Durg district linked to Chaitanya Baghel.

📰 Crime Today News is proudly sponsored by DRYFRUIT & CO – A Brand by eFabby Global LLC

Design & Developed by Yes Mom Hosting