Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: ED Exposes Cash Trails to Former Minister

The Enforcement Directorate unveiled illicit cash flows linked to former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, associating him with a Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam. Bribes from liquor purchases and unaccounted sales marked key channels of crime, leading to recent raids and multiple arrests.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed that senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma received substantial cash amounts monthly from a Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam. Lakhma allegedly benefited from his tenure as the excise minister, collecting proceeds of crime in cash.

The ED’s investigation, spanning 2019 to 2022, uncovered illegal commissions from bribes tied to liquor procurement by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL). Moreover, the agency highlighted that 'kacha off-the-books' country liquor sales generated funds that bypassed the state treasury entirely.

Following extensive searches at seven premises, including those of Lakhma and his associates, the ED seized incriminating digital records. This operation, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, adds to the arrest of five individuals and the freezing of assets valued at Rs 205 crore.