ED conducts contemporary raids at ex-Chhattisgarh CM Baghel’s house in liquor rip-off case towards son

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) performed contemporary searches on the premises of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as a part of an alleged liquor rip-off linked to a cash laundering investigation towards his son Chaitanya Baghel on Friday (July 18, 2025), official sources mentioned.

Mr. Baghel’s house in Bhilai city of Durg district, which the father-son duo share, was raided by the ED below the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA) following receipt of contemporary proof within the case, they mentioned.

Sources mentioned the search motion was towards Chaitanya Baghel, who’s being investigated within the liquor rip-off case.

Bhupesh Baghel’s son Chaitanya Baghel. File
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular association

A heavy posse of police personnel was seen outdoors the home, at the same time as some occasion supporters gathered.

The federal probe company performed related raids towards Chaitanya Baghel on March 10.

Bhupesh Baghel, a senior Congress chief, posted a message on X saying the ED has come to his house on the final day of the meeting session when the difficulty of bushes being felled for a coal mine venture of the Adani group in Tamnar tehsil of Raigarh district was to be raised.

“In the present day is the final day of the state legislative (monsoon) session. The difficulty of bushes being felled for Adani in Tamnar was scheduled to be raised (within the Home). Saheb has despatched ED to Bhilai Niwas,” the message posted by his workplace mentioned.

The senior Baghel, earlier this month, visited the tehsil and prolonged assist to native villagers who’ve been protesting towards tree felling for a coal mine venture within the space.

The mine is allotted to Maharashtra State Energy Era Firm Restricted (MAHAGENCO), which has contracted the MDO (mine developer cum operator) to the Adani group.

The ED earlier claimed that Chaitanya Baghel was suspected to be the “recipient” of the proceeds from the alleged liquor rip-off.

It has been mentioned that the “rip-off” resulted in a “large loss” to the state exchequer and crammed the pockets of the beneficiaries of a liquor syndicate with over Rs 2,100 crore.

On this case, the ED, in January, arrested former minister and Congress chief Kawasi Lakhma, moreover Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and Congress chief Aijaz Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi and a few others as a part of this investigation.

The alleged liquor rip-off within the central Indian state, as per the ED, was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022 when Chhattisgarh was ruled by the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress authorities.

Belongings price about Rs 205 crore of assorted accused have been connected by the company as a part of this investigation up to now.

In 2024, the Supreme Courtroom quashed the ED’s first ECIR (FIR) on this case, which was primarily based on a criticism from the Revenue Tax Division. The federal company later filed a contemporary case after it requested the Chhattisgarh EOW/ACB to file a contemporary FIR towards the accused primarily based on materials shared by the anti-money laundering company.

The EOW/ACB registered the FIR on January 17 final 12 months, a couple of month after the BJP defeated the incumbent Congress authorities within the 2023 meeting polls, and named 70 people and firms, together with former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, former chief secretary Vivek Dhand and others.

In line with the ED, the alleged fee generated by means of the unlawful sale of liquor was shared “as per the instructions from the very best political executives of the state.”