ED Alleges Chaitanya Baghel Played Key Role In Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam, Handled Rs 1000 Crore

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, played a leading role in the state’s multi-crore liquor scam and personally managed around Rs 1,000 crore generated through it, PTI reported. 

In its fourth supplementary prosecution complaint filed on Monday before District and Additional Sessions Judge (IV) Damarudhar Chouhan, the ED claimed that Chaitanya not only helped in hiding and using the illegal money but did so in coordination with others involved in the syndicate.

Chaitanya was arrested by the ED on July 18 after a raid at his residence in Bhilai, which he shares with his father.

The alleged scam, estimated at Rs 2,500 crore, reportedly took place between 2019 and 2022, during the tenure of the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel. According to the ED, the operation caused significant financial losses to the state and benefited a network of individuals linked to the liquor business.

As per the latest chargesheet, the ED says an organised liquor syndicate was set up in 2019, shortly after the Congress came to power in the state. The day-to-day operations of this syndicate were allegedly handled by then IAS officer Anil Tuteja and businessman Anwar Dhebar, both previously named in earlier chargesheets.

The ED claims that Chaitanya was not a figurehead but rather the key decision-maker within the network. He allegedly oversaw the accounting of illegal funds, and all major decisions about how the money was collected, moved, and distributed were made under his supervision. His position as the CM’s son reportedly gave him authority within the group.

Chaitanya is also accused of using the money generated from the scam to invest in real estate, attempting to pass off the properties as legally obtained. Specifically, the ED says he funneled Rs 18.90 crore into a real estate project called Vitthal Green and Rs 3.10 crore into his firm, Baghel Developers and Associates.

The agency’s investigation also includes testimony from Laxmi Narayan Bansal, also known as Pappu, who said he handled over Rs 1,000 crore from the liquor scam in collaboration with Chaitanya. According to his statement, large sums of cash were handed over on Chaitanya’s instructions to Ram Gopal Agrawal, the then-treasurer of the state Congress unit, and others between 2019 and 2022.

Bansal reportedly collected the money from Anwar Dhebar via Dipen Chawda, and coordinated its delivery to Agrawal with Chaitanya’s help.

In his statement, Bansal also said he has known Bhupesh Baghel for 25 years and shares family ties with him. He mentioned visiting the Chief Minister’s residence in Raipur along with Chaitanya. During one such visit, he claims Bhupesh Baghel told him that Anwar Dhebar would be sending "saamaan", a code word for cash that was to be passed on to Agrawal.

Bansal added that Chaitanya would inform him a day in advance about the cash deliveries from Dhebar. Agrawal is currently absconding.

"At the apex of this syndicate stood Chaitanya, and his role was not just symbolic but commanding and decisive. He was responsible for maintaining 'hisab' (accounts) of all illicit funds collected by the syndicate. All major decisions relating to the collection, channelization, and distribution of funds were taken under his instructions. His position as the chief minister's son made him the controller and ultimate authority of the syndicate," the ED alleged.

Investigators say they have recovered crucial digital evidence, including WhatsApp chats from the phones of the accused. These chats allegedly show Chaitanya was in direct contact with Anwar Dhebar and Saumya Chaurasia, then deputy secretary in the Chief Minister’s office to coordinate payments, meetings, and fund transfers.

With PTI inputs