On July 18th, 2025, Friday morning, Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at the residence of the former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister (CM) Mr Bhupesh Baghel in Bhilai town of Durg district. According to the Press Trust of India, the ED arrested the former CM’s son Chaitanya Baghel in a money laundering case related to the alleged liquor scam. The report mentions that the Congress MLAs on July 18, 2025 boycotted the proceedings of the Chhattisgarh assembly for the day as a mark of protest against the ED’s action against Bhupesh Baghel’s son. Currently, Chaitanya Baghel is in custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. According to a Hindustan Times report, the ED has not officially disclosed the case under which the raids were carried out at former Chhattisgarh CM’s premises. Bhupesh Baghel lives with his son Chaitanya Baghel in their Bhilai residence.
Bhupesh Baghel’s office statement on X (formerly Twitter)
In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, former Chhattisgarh CM tweeted in Hindi which when translated to English means, “Today is the last day of the assembly session. The issue of trees being cut for Adani in Tamnar was to be raised. Saheb has sent ED to Bhilai Niwas.”
ED आ गई.
आज विधानसभा सत्र का अंतिम दिन है.
अडानी के लिए तमनार में काटे जा रहे पेड़ों का मुद्दा आज उठना था.
भिलाई निवास में “साहेब” ने ED भेज दी है.
(कार्यालय- भूपेश बघेल)
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) July 18, 2025
When Bhupesh Baghel supported the Tamnar villagers
A PTI report mentions that in July, Bhupesh Baghel had visited Tamnar tehsil in Raigarh district. The former Chhattisgarh CM had supported the local villagers who opposed the tree felling for a coal mine project. Tree cutting had commenced in a forested area between Mudagaon and Saritola villages to facilitate the operation of the Gare Palma Sector II coal block. The mine was allotted to the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MAHAGENCO), which has given the `MDO’ (mine developer cum operator) contract to the Adani group.
