Former Chhattisgarh CM's Son: Rs 61 Crore Assets Attached in Major Liquor Scam Investigation

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized assets valued at Rs 61.20 crore belonging to Chaitanya Baghel, the son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in relation to the ongoing investigation into the Chhattisgarh liquor scam.

ED officials have revealed that the attached properties comprise 364 residential plots and agricultural land worth Rs 59.96 crore, alongside movable assets including bank balances and fixed deposits amounting to Rs 1.24 crore. This action brings the total value of assets attached in this case to Rs 276 crore.

According to ED's legal representative, Advocate Saurabh Pandey, this property attachment is temporary in nature. "The Adjudicating Authority will now proceed with hearing arguments from both parties and issue a notice to Chaitanya Baghel. The attachment will only be confirmed if the investigation substantiates the ED's allegations. The accused retains the right to appeal in higher courts," he explained.

Chaitanya Baghel, who has been arrested in connection with the case, currently remains in judicial custody.

Investigators characterize this as one of India's largest state-run liquor rackets, describing it as a system of "cash, commission and corruption." The ED alleges that between 2019 and 2023, Chhattisgarh's state liquor monopoly was transformed into a parallel extortion economy, disguised under excise policies and political patronage. At the center of this operation, according to the agency, was Chaitanya Baghel, who allegedly diverted black money into high-end real estate and shell companies.

The investigation claims that Chaitanya Baghel's company, Vitthal Green, functioned as a money-laundering front, receiving Rs 5 crore from Saheli Jewellers, a shell firm previously implicated in the scam. Despite being classified as a loan, no interest was paid, and Rs 4.5 crore remained outstanding. The ED considers this arrangement "a cover for laundering."

In a single day in 2020, 19 flats were reportedly purchased under companies linked to Chaintanya Baghel, with numerous buyers traced to associates of liquor trader Trilok Singh Dhillon, further complicating the money trail.

The ED describes the scam as a three-tiered operation. The first layer involves distilleries allegedly paying Rs 75 per liquor case as "commission" - a bribe system reportedly coordinated by officials including Anil Tuteja (Retired IAS) and Arun Pati Tripathi (ITS) under Anwar Dhebar's political influence. The second layer consists of a shadow liquor network that circumvented official channels using duplicate holograms to sell liquor off-record. Approximately 400 trucks monthly transported illegal liquor, generating substantial cash profits. The third component involved premium imported liquor brands sold through manipulated licenses, granting selected private firms monopolistic access, allegedly generating Rs 211 crore in illegal profits.

The ED alleges that over Rs 1,392 crore from the scam was channeled to Congress-affiliated entities and leaders between 2019 and 2022.

While the ED characterizes the case as a "hijack of governance," the Congress party has condemned it as political vengeance. Party spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla stated, "This is a malicious action. Even ancestral properties are being attached. The people of Chhattisgarh will not forgive this misuse of agencies."