Raipur
Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, is increasing difficulties. After the raid of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a day earlier, the sword of arrest is also hanging on them. The ED has called Chaitanya to office for questioning. He will be questioned on Tuesday in the alleged liquor scam of Chhattisgarh. It is believed that if the ED is not satisfied with their answers, he can also arrest.
The ED raided Bhupesh Baghel’s son and former CM’s locations in the alleged liquor scam case. Chaitanya Baghel lives with his father in Bhilai, so that complex was also raided. In Durg district, 14 locations, including Bhupesh Baghel’s son Chaitanya Baghel’s Bhilai campus, Chaitanya Baghel’s alleged close associate Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal and some others, were searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Dhan Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED has recovered documents and more than 30 lakh cash from Awasa in Baghale.
Amid the raid of the ED, supporters continued to create a ruckus outside Baghel’s residence throughout the day. It is alleged that when the ED team came out of the house, the car was surrounded. It is alleged that the team was also stoned. Earlier in the day too, many times supporters had a clash with the police. Slogans continued throughout the day. The raids started at around seven in the morning and there was a CRPF security team along with the ED’s search team.
ED sources said the Central Investigation Agency suspects that Chaitanya Baghel is a ‘recipient’ of income from the crime of liquor scam. The ED had earlier said that Chhattisgarh liquor ‘scam’ caused ‘heavy loss’ to the state’s revenue and the earnings of more than Rs 2,100 crore from this crime went to the pockets of the beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate. According to the ED, the alleged liquor scam took place between 2019 and 2022, when there was a Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh.