The Enforcement Directorate on Monday filed a chargesheet against Chaitanya, son of Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel in a multi-crore liquor ‘scam’ case. The 7,039-page supplementary prosecution complaint was submitted to the court of the 6th District and Additional Sessions Judge Damarudhar Chouhan in Raipur, as per PTI. The complaint names businessman Chaitanya Baghel as an accused.
According to the federal investigation agency, Chaitanya handled more than Rs 1,000 crore in "proceeds of crime."
The alleged Rs 2,100-crore ‘scam’ came to fore during the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh. As per the ED counsel, a complaint was filed before the special court in this regard, where Chetnaya was named as an accused.
"A hard disc containing digital evidence and other proofs were submitted along with the prosecution complaint," he informed.
Chaitanya Baghel’s arrest
On July 18, the central agency arrested Chaitanya Baghel after searching his home in Durg’s Bhilai, where he lives with his father. According to an earlier statement by the ED, the businessman used Rs 16.7 crore from the illegal funds for developing his real estate project.
"Chaitanya was in receipt of proceeds of crime worth Rs 16.70 crore. He had used his real estate firms to intermingle the said funds. It was found that he had utilised the said cash amount (proceeds of crime) in development of his real estate project," it said.
Bhupesh Baghel says agencies being misused
Senior Congress leader Baghel, however, said the agencies were being misused to target the Opposition leaders. He said a fake case against his son was brought up to shroud the "illegal tree felling" for coal mines in Chhattisgarh, asserting that the Congress was preparing to raise the issue in the assembly.
In January, the ED arrested former minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma, along with Anwar Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi and several others as part of their investigation into the case.
