Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son Chaitanya has been arrested once again in connection with the liquor scam. Chaitanya, who has been in judicial custody since July 18, was arrested by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Another accused, Dipen Chawda, was also taken into custody.
Following a production warrant, ACB/EOW officials brought him before a special court under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court remanded both Chaitanya and Chawda to ACB/EOW custody until October 6.
The alleged liquor scam, pegged at over Rs 2,500 crore, is said to have operated between 2019 and 2022, when the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel was in power. The ACB/EOW has been investigating since January 2024, probing corruption and criminal angles in the case.
In its findings, the Enforcement Directorate has claimed that Chaitanya played a central role in the scam, personally handling close to Rs 1,000 crore as part of a liquor syndicate. According to the ED’s fourth supplementary chargesheet filed on September 15, Chaitanya allegedly conspired with other members of the network to hide and utilise proceeds of crime generated through illegal activities.
Chaitanya’s Lawyer Pushes Back Against Arrest
Chaitanya’s lawyer, Faisal Rizvi, strongly criticised the arrest, calling it a “pressure tactic” without supporting evidence. He pointed out that despite multiple chargesheets filed by the ACB/EOW, Chaitanya’s name has not appeared in any of them.
“In the main and supplementary chargesheets so far, around 45 people were named. Yet, Chaitanya has not been listed as an accused,” Rizvi said, adding that 29 of those named have not been arrested to date. He further claimed that the arrest was based solely on a statement by co-accused Laxmi Narayan Bansal, who linked Chaitanya to Rs 1,000 crore in alleged proceeds of crime. The same court has also issued a warrant against Bansal.
The liquor scam case has already ensnared several high-profile figures. The FIR registered by ACB/EOW on January 17 named 70 individuals and entities, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma and ex-chief secretary Vivek Dhand.
The ED has accused the syndicate of extracting commissions from official liquor sales, profiting from unaccounted illegal liquor, and demanding bribes from distillers to create a cartel that monopolised Chhattisgarh’s market. The agency alleged that the proceeds were directed to people connected with the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee, the state’s ruling party at the time.
So far, the investigation has led to the arrests of several notable individuals, including Congress MLA and former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, businessman Anwar Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and ITS officer Arunpati Tripathi.
Chaitanya Baghel was arrested by the ED in July following a search at his residence in Bhilai, which he shares with his father, Bhupesh Baghel.
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