ED Seizes Assets Worth Rs 61.20 Crore in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam

The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 61.20 crore belonging to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The assets, which include real estate and bank deposits, are linked to the Chhattisgarh liquor scam under investigation for massive state exchequer losses.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, provisionally attaching assets valued at Rs 61.20 crore. These belong to Chaitanya Baghel, son of Bhupesh Baghel, the former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. The seized assets encompass 364 residential plots and agricultural lands worth Rs 59.96 crore, along with movable assets totaling Rs 1.24 crore in bank balances and fixed deposits.

The seizure comes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and follows prior asset attachments amounting to approximately Rs 215 crore. The ED's crackdown, executed by its zonal office, follows an FIR by Chhattisgarh's Anti-Corruption Branch and Economic Offences Wing, citing extensive losses to the state exchequer due to the scam.

The ED's probe has positioned Chaitanya Baghel at the helm of a lucrative liquor syndicate, leveraging his influence as the Chief Minister's son. The investigation highlights his pivotal role in managing illicit funds and directing operations within the syndicate. Baghel's utilization of proceeds for personal real estate ventures, including the project 'Vitthal Green,' implicates him further. On July 18, he was arrested and remains in judicial custody, joining other high-profile arrests in the case.

(With inputs from agencies.)