ED attaches Congress office in Chhattisgarh; assets of ex-minister Kawasi Lakhma

New Delhi/Raipur: A Congress party office in Chhattisgarh apart from assets of its former minister Kawasi Lakhma and his son have been attached as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged Rs 2,100 crore worth liquor scam that took place in the state during the previous government, the Enforcement Directorate said on Friday.

A provisional order for attaching these properties has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The federal probe agency said in a statement that the attached assets include Congress Bhawan at Sukma district headquarters, which is in the name of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee, a residential house at Raipur in the name of Kawasi Lakhma and a house at Sukma in the name of his son Harish Kawasi.

The value of these three assets is Rs 6.15 crore, it said.

This is the first time that the federal probe agency has attached assets of a political party under the anti-money laundering law.

A Congress spokesperson said in Raipur that the ED action was "part of BJP's political conspiracy" and added that the party will furnish records of "each and every" penny used for the construction of the office at Sukma.

Lakhma, 72, is a six-time MLA from Konta assembly seat and has served as excise minister in the Congress government led by former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Harish Lakhma is a panchayat president in Sukma.

The agency had raided the premises of the Lakhmas in December 2024 at Raipur, Sukma and Dhamtari districts. The senior Lakhma was arrested by the ED in January. He is currently lodged in jail under judicial custody.

"Kawasi Lakhma was receiving Rs 2 crore per month out of liquor scam and thereby received proceeds of crime of Rs 72 crore in 36 months." "Investigation conducted led to seizure of crucial pieces of evidences which demonstrated utilisation of cash by Kawasi Lakhma in construction of these properties" the ED said.

It alleged that "cash" worth Rs 68 lakh was employed in construction of the Congress Bhawan, Rs 1.40 crore was "utilised" in construction of house of Harish Lakhma and Rs 2.24 crore was "utilised" in construction of his own (Kawasi Lakhma) house at Raipur.

The ED has said that the Chhattisgarh liquor "scam" resulted in "massive loss" to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore of illegal proceeds of crime.

It has alleged that the proceeds generated from the illegal liquor trade were used to build the Congress office in Sukma.

The ED had alleged in a statement issued in January that Lakhma was "an integral part" of the syndicate (liquor) and "actively assisted" it by "maneuvering process and procedures as per their direction." It further claimed that Lakhma was receiving "not less than" Rs 2 crore per month out of the proceeds of crime being generated out of the liquor "scam" that took place between 2019-2022.

"Kawasi Lakhma was aware of the complete affairs of the excise department including the liquor scam, yet he did nothing to stop the illegal and unauthorised operations." "He played an important role in policy change which led to the introduction of FL-10A license in the state of Chhattisgarh," the ED had alleged.

The FL-10A licence of the Chhattisgarh government allowed license holders to earn in the foreign liquor segment.

The agency claimed it has been able to collect "evidence" linking the use of proceeds of crime obtained by Lakhma in construction of immovable properties.

Baghel, after Lakhma's arrest, had accused the ED of acting on the directives of the BJP-led Union government and said the agency was conspiring to defame Congress leaders.