ED Team Attacked Outside Bhupesh Baghel’s House In Durg, Probe Agency To Register Case

Last Updated:March 10, 2025, 20:14 IST

Earlier today, the probe agency carried out extensive searches at the residence of Chaitanya Baghel in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state.

A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was attacked and manhandled outside former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s residence in Durg on Monday.

Earlier today, the probe agency raided 14 locations in Durg district, including residential and other premises owned by Baghel, and his son, Chaitanya, as part of an ongoing investigation into the state’s alleged liquor scam.

Read More: Chhattisgarh’s Rs 4,000-Crore Liquor Scam Probe: How ED Reached The Doorstep Of Ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel

As per the preliminary information, Congress workers, agitated with the raids, clashed with police personnel deployed outside Baghel’s residence and raised slogans against the probe agency. During the clash, some ED personnel were man handled. Additionally, their car was surrounded and briefly stopped from leaving by a group of people. The probe agency is likely to file a case against the protestors.

ED Raids At Baghel’s Residence

Earlier today, the probe agency carried out extensive searches at the residence of Chaitanya Baghel in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to a money laundering case in the state.

The premises of Bhupesh Baghel’s son– Chaitanya Baghel– in Bhilai (Durg district), an alleged close associate of Chaitanya Baghel, Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal, and some others are also being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.

According to ED sources, Chaitanya is allegedly the recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam, with a staggering amount of around Rs 2,161 crore allegedly siphoned through various fraudulent schemes. The cumulative worth of Chhattisgarh’s liquor scam now stands around Rs 4,000 crore, with investigators looking at the fresh leads.

The probe agency earlier said the Chhattisgarh liquor “scam” resulted in “massive loss” to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of a liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore of proceeds of crime. During its probe, the probe agency arrested several suspects, including state government officials and business figures, in the case.

Last year, federal investigators probing the alleged liquor fraud claimed that a criminal syndicate was orchestrating illegal bribe collections by exerting control over top management in key state departments and public sector units in Chhattisgarh.

Bhupesh Baghel Calls ED Raids ‘BJP’s Vendetta’

Baghel reacted on the raids on his residence earlier in the day, saying that they were a “political vendetta” by the BJP-led Central Government meant to “harass” the Opposition.

Baghel claimed that ED officials arrived at his Durg residence at 7:30 am while he was sipping tea. He further alleged that he was not provided with the ECIR number, which is similar to an FIR, when he asked for it.

“ED doesn’t have any Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) number. When we asked for it. They didn’t have an answer. Seven years back, a serious allegation was framed against me. Nothing was found in that case as the Supreme Court set me free. In this case they also won’t find anything,” Baghel said.

Conspiracy To ‘Manage Headlines’, Says Congress

The Congress said the raids against the Baghels were a “conspiracy” to “manage headlines” on a day when Parliament’s Budget session reconvened and the government faced questions from the opposition on multiple issues.

Soon after the searches, a number of Congress leaders and workers gathered outside Baghel’s house in Bhilai.

They staged a protest outside the house against the ED and claimed it to be a conspiracy by the Centre.

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Raipur, India, India