ED raids Bhupesh Baghel’s property; Congress alleges conspiracy

The Congress on Monday (March 10) charged that the ED raids on the premises of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel were a "conspiracy" to "manage headlines" on a day when Parliament's Budget session reconvened and the government faces questions from the opposition on multiple issues.

Congress leaders on Monday staged a protest outside the house of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel against the Enforcement Directorate's raid on his premises, claiming it to be a conspiracy by the Centre.

The ED raided Congress leader Baghel's premises in Bhilai town of Durg district as part of a money laundering investigation against his son in the alleged liquor scam case, as per official sources.

Also Read: BJP 'peddled lies' before Chhattisgarh polls to implicate Baghel: Congress after SC ruling

Following the ED's action, a large number of Congress leaders and workers gathered outside Baghel's house in Durg.

"The top Congress leadership in the state is being targeted by the (BJP-led) Centre with malicious intention. We have gathered here to protest against the conspiracy of the Centre," said a Congress worker, who was among the protesters.

False case going on for 7 years: Baghel

Baghel's office on his X handle said the "false case" against him is carrying on for the last seven years. He also said that no one will be able to stop the Congress in Punjab, where Baghel has just taken over as in-charge of party affairs.

Baghel's office in a statement said, "When a false case going on for seven years was dismissed in the court, the ED guests entered the Bhilai residence of former CM and Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel this morning. If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab with this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding," the statement said.

Notably, a special CBI court last week discharged Bhupesh Baghel of all charges in the alleged sex CD case, purportedly featuring a former BJP minister, lodged in 2017.

Conspiracy to ‘manage headlines’: Congress

Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said in a video statement that the raids look like a "conspiracy" to manage headlines when the opposition is seeking to corner the government in Parliament over several issues.

"Today, when the Parliament session is starting, the BJP, which is cornered from all sides, got the ED to raid the house of senior Congress leader, Mr. Bhupesh Baghel ji, in order to change the headlines and divert the country's attention from tariff, falling economy, voter list fraud, etc," he charged.

Also Read: Baghel: FIR in Mahadev app case politically motivated by BJP fearing poll defeat

"The BJP should understand that it will neither be able to stop the Congress, nor any of our leaders. We are not afraid, nor will we be afraid," Khera said in his post on X.

In a video statement, he also said no one knows why the ED raid is being conducted against Bhupesh Baghel at his residence in Bhilai. A few days ago, the court had cancelled a case against Baghel and now there is no case against him, he claimed.

Attempt to disturb Baghel in Punjab: Pawan Khera

The Parliament session is starting today and the BJP, which is cornered from all sides, is seeking to distract and indulge in some headline management, the Congress leader said.

"It is possible that is a conspiracy to that end. It is also possible that Bhupesh Baghel has started activities in Punjab where he is in-charge of party Affairs and thus is an attempt to disturb him in Punjab. But ED certainly is acting as an arm of the government and this will not be forgotten," Khera said.

Also Read: Why the shock defeat in Chhattisgarh will hurt Congress the most

On Monday, the premises of Bhupesh Baghel's son - Chaitanya Baghel - in Bhilai, an alleged close associate of Chaitanya Baghel, Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal, and some others were also being searched under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.

Chaitanya Baghel shares the Bhilai accommodation with his father and hence the premises are being covered. He (Chaitanya Baghel) is suspected to be the "recipient" of the proceeds of crime of the liquor scam, they said.

“About 14-15 premises are being raided in the state,” they said.

Chhattisgarh liquor ‘scam’

The Enforcement Directorate 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 ₹2,100 crore of proceeds of crime.

The ED had arrested former minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma in this case in January apart from Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi, and some others as part of this investigation.

Also Read: Baghel claims EVMs changed after polling in Rajnandgaon; EC rejects charge

The alleged liquor scam in the central Indian state, as per the ED, was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022 when Chhattisgarh was ruled by a Congress government led by CM Baghel.

Assets of about ₹205 crore of various accused have been attached by the agency as part of this investigation till now.

(With agency inputs)