On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate has raided the Bhilai home of former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel in relation to the alleged ₹2,161 crore liquor scam. According to the reports, raids are a part of an ongoing money laundering investigation against Baghel’s son, Chaitanya Baghel.
The government agency has conducted the raids under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after having access to fresh evidence. There was a heavy police deployment outside the house in Bhilai town of Durg district where the son and father reside. Following this allegation, Congress supporters protested nearby.
Bhupesh Baghel pointed out political vendetta
Adding to the plot, Baghel’s official ‘X’ handle, his office accused political vendetta and tweeted:
“Today is the final day of the assembly session. The matter of tree felling for Adani in Tamnar was to be brought up. 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
Sources also said that the current search action is against Chaitanya Baghel, a person accused of accepting proceeds from the booze racket. ED claims that between 2019 and 2022, the racket resulted in huge losses to the Chhattisgarh state exchequer but earned a liquor syndicate over ₹2,100 crore of illicit gains.
The ED had previously raided Chaitanya Baghel’s offices on March 10 in the same investigation. The agency has named former state minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma as the supposed mastermind behind the scam. Lakhma, according to the ED, received a huge cash commission every month from the illicit liquor network.
What is Chhattisgarh liquor scam?
The Chhattisgarh liquor scam is a grand corruption racket of sale and distribution of illicit liquor in the state during 2019-2023/24. According to Enforcement Directorate (ED), the scam caused a loss of more than ₹2,100 crore to the state treasury, whose proceeds of crime were allegedly made away with by a influential syndicate of liquor operatives including excise officials, bureaucrats, politicians, distillery leaders, and private entrepreneurs.
The ED alleges that bribes and illicit commissions were systematically received for altering liquor trade policies and evading duties. The scam has also created political controversy, with charges that the scam had flourished during the Congress-led government of Chhattisgarh.
The ED’s original case was dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2024 upon the discovery of the first ECIR (equivalent to FIR) being faulty, as it was initiated on the basis of a complaint filed by the Income Tax Department. Nevertheless, the agency reopened the probe by filing a new case with inputs from the Chhattisgarh EOW/ACB.
However, the senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has repeatedly said that the ED’s moves are politically motivated.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
