New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday claimed that Chaitanya Baghel, son of senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, “handled” over ₹1,000 crore in “proceeds of crime” and utilized ₹16.7 crore in his real estate business. These alleged transactions occurred between 2019 and 2022, during his father’s tenure as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
Chaitanya Baghel was arrested on July 18 from his residence in Bhilai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is currently undergoing interrogation at the ED’s Raipur office. He was remanded to ED custody for five days and is slated to be produced before the judge on Tuesday.
“Investigation revealed that Chaitanya Baghel was in receipt of proceeds of crime worth ₹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,” the agency stated in a press release on Monday.
The ED further alleged that the siphoning of these funds involved intricate methods, including cash payments to contractors of Chaitanya Baghel’s projects and manipulated bank entries. The agency claimed that Chaitanya colluded with local businessman Trilok Singh Dhillon and exploited Dhillon’s companies to devise a scheme where he indirectly received ₹5 crore under the guise of purchasing flats in his ‘Vitthalpuram Project’ in the names of Dhillon’s employees. The ED added that a banking trail indicates Dhillon received payments from a “liquor syndicate” in his bank accounts during the relevant transaction period.
The statement also asserted that Chaitanya Baghel “handled more than ₹1,000 crore worth of proceeds of crime” generated from alleged irregularities in liquor sales. “He used to coordinate with Anwar Dhebar (the elder brother of Raipur mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar) and others for transfer of proceeds of crime to the then treasurer of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee. Investigation conducted by ED has revealed that funds from this liquor scam were also handed over to key associates of Baghel family for further investments. The end utilisation of this fund is being probed further,” the ED stated.
According to officials, the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh involved the illegal sale of approximately ₹2,174 crore worth of unaccounted and duty-evaded liquor through state-run outlets. This illicit operation allegedly occurred under the protection and coordination of senior excise officials, leading to a massive loss to the state exchequer and significant illegal gains for the beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate. The alleged irregularities are said to have taken place between 2019 and 2022, when the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel was in power in Chhattisgarh.
In connection with this ongoing probe, the ED had previously 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 others.
Responding to his son’s arrest, Bhupesh Baghel on Monday alleged that it was an attempt to divert attention from the illegal tree felling in the state, an issue the Congress party was scheduled to raise in the assembly. The veteran Congress leader reiterated his stance that investigative agencies are being misused to target opposition leaders, but affirmed his complete trust in the judiciary.