The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, along with co-accused Dipen Chawda on Wednesday (September 24). Both were produced before a special Prevention of Corruption Act court and remanded in ACB/EOW custody until October 6 (Monday).
Chaitanya was already in judicial custody since July 18 following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). His custody was transferred to ACB/EOW after the agency obtained a production warrant.
Allegations in the liquor scam
The alleged liquor scam, estimated to be worth over Rs 2,500 crore, is said to have taken place between 2019 and 2022 during the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel. According to the ED, Chaitanya Baghel was a key figure at the “helm of the syndicate” and was personally responsible for handling around Rs 1,000 crore generated as illicit proceeds. The agency also claimed he conspired with other members of the network to conceal and channel the illegal funds.
The scam involved commissions from official liquor sales, proceeds from unaccounted illegal liquor, and quid pro quo bribes from distillers who formed a cartel to control the state’s lucrative liquor business.
Defence claims political vendetta
Chaitanya’s lawyer, Faisal Rizvi, strongly opposed the arrest, alleging that his client was being targeted without any concrete evidence. He pointed out that in the main chargesheet and subsequent supplementary charge sheets filed by ACB/EOW, Chaitanya was not named as an accused.
Out of the 45 people listed in these charge sheets, Rizvi noted that 29 have never been arrested, raising questions on the selective action. He further highlighted that Chaitanya’s name only emerged after statements from another accused, Laxmi Narayan Bansal, related to alleged handling of Rs 1,000 crore.
Bigger network under scrutiny
The ACB and ED investigations have uncovered a vast nexus involving senior political leaders, bureaucrats, and businessmen. The FIR filed in January 2024, after the BJP came to power in the state, named 70 individuals and companies, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma and ex-chief secretary Vivek Dhand.
Several senior figures such as Lakhma, Anwar Dhebar, ex-IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and ITS officer Arunpati Tripathi have already been arrested in the probe. The agencies allege that the proceeds of crime were routed to top Congress leaders and party functionaries during the Baghel government’s tenure.