ED Arrests Ex-CM Baghel’s Son in Liquor Scam

• Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.
• The arrest is linked to the multi-crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam, following early morning raids.

GG News Bureau
Raipur, 18th July: Sending shockwaves through Chhattisgarh’s political landscape, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The arrest is in connection with the state’s sensational multi-crore liquor scam case and comes amid escalating political tensions between the ruling and opposition parties.

At dawn, a team of ED officials arrived at Bhupesh Baghel’s Bhilai residence, which he shares with his son, initiating an extensive search operation linked to their ongoing investigation into the alleged excise scam. Shortly after the searches, Chaitanya Baghel was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), making headlines across the state. He was later remanded to five-day ED custody by a special PMLA court in Raipur.

The liquor scam probe has been underway for months, focusing on massive alleged irregularities in liquor distribution and revenue collection during the previous Congress regime in Chhattisgarh (2019-2022). According to ED officials, Chaitanya Baghel is suspected of being a key recipient of “proceeds of crime” from an alleged illegal network that siphoned off over ₹2,100 crore from the state’s excise department. This marks the second time the central probe agency has conducted raids at Chaitanya Baghel’s premises, with a similar operation carried out in March earlier this year.

Political Allegations and Assembly Session Timing
The timing of the ED’s action is being scrutinized closely. Today marks the final day of the monsoon session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly, during which former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and his party had planned to raise pressing issues, including the controversial cutting of trees in the Tamnar region for an Adani-related project.

Reacting sharply to the ED raid earlier in the day, Bhupesh Baghel stated, “ED has come. Today is the last day of the assembly session, and I was going to raise the issue of environmental destruction in Tamnar. This action is clearly orchestrated.” With a hint of sarcasm, he added, “Saheb (a jibe at central leadership) has sent the ED to my Bhilai residence.” Bhupesh Baghel further noted that the arrest coincided with his son Chaitanya’s birthday, drawing a parallel to a previous instance where his advisor was arrested on his own (Bhupesh Baghel’s) birthday.

Bhupesh Baghel has routinely accused the central government of targeting opposition leaders with central agencies to stifle dissent. He and his party allege that the current move is an attempt to distract from other state issues and suppress voices critical of corporate interests. Congress MLAs also boycotted the assembly proceedings for the day in protest. The BJP, meanwhile, insists that the ED is acting independently and that the law will take its course.

Chaitanya Baghel will now be questioned by ED officials as part of their wider crackdown on money laundering and corruption in the state’s liquor business. Several opposition leaders and bureaucrats are already under investigation, and earlier this year, the ED arrested former minister Kawasi Lakhma, among others, in connection with the case. Further arrests and raids are anticipated, with the case expected to have major repercussions both for Chhattisgarh politics and for future anti-corruption drives in India.