Former CM Bhupesh Baghel's son ran syndicate, handled Rs 1000 crore of 'liquor scam' proceeds: ED

Raipur: Chaitanya Baghel, son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, was at the helm of the syndicate behind the "liquor scam" in Chhattisgarh and personally handled nearly Rs 1,000 crore generated from it, the ED has alleged in its prosecution complaint.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also claimed Chaitanya knowingly assisted in the concealment, possession, acquisition and use of proceeds of crime, acting in conspiracy with other members of the syndicate.

It made the claims in its fourth supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) filed before the court of District and Additional Sessions Judge (VI) Damarudhar Chouhan on Monday.

Chaitanya Baghel was arrested by the central agency on July 18 following a search at his house which he shares with his father in Bhilai town of Durg district.

The alleged Rs 2,500 crore liquor scam was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022 when a Congress government headed by Bhupesh Baghel in office in the state.

The ED has so far filed one prosecution complaint and four supplementary ones in the case, and claimed the alleged scam resulted in a "massive loss" to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the liquor syndicate beneficiaries.

In the latest prosecution complaint, the ED stated that, in 2019, after the formation of the new (Congress) government in Chhattisgarh, an organised liquor syndicate was created.

To run the day-to-day operations of this syndicate, Anil Tuteja, then an IAS officer, and businessman Anwar Dhebar (both named as accused in previous prosecution complaints) were chosen as the front faces, it claimed.

"At the apex of this syndicate stood Chaitanya, and his role was not just symbolic but commanding and decisive. He was responsible for maintaining 'hisab' (accounts) of all illicit funds collected by the syndicate. All major decisions relating to the collection, channelization, and distribution of funds were taken under his instructions. His position as the chief minister's son made him the controller and ultimate authority of the syndicate," it alleged.

Chaitanya is a recipient of "proceeds of crime," which he has layered in his real estate project and is projecting and claiming these assets so developed as untainted property, the ED claimed.

Investigation has already suggested a significant amount out of the proceeds of crime was being collected by one Laxmi Narayan Bansal @ Pappu, who in his statement before the ED, has revealed that he had handled more than Rs 1,000 crore worth of proceeds of crime originating out of the liquor scam in association with Chaitanya, it stated.

He (Bansal) has categorically stated that, on the instructions of Chaitanya, large amounts of cash were delivered to the then treasurer of the state Congress unit, Ram Gopal Agrawal, and others between 2019 and 2022, the ED charged.

Bansal allegedly used to collect these proceeds of crime from Anwar Dhebar via Dipen Chawda and thereafter these funds were delivered to Agarwal in coordination with Chaitanya, it said.

"Bansal, during his statement, revealed he has known Bhupesh Baghel for the last 25 years and that both of them share family relations. He used to regularly visit the Chief Minister's House in Raipur, then with Chaitanya. During one such visit to CM's house in Raipur, Bhupesh Baghel categorically told him that Anwar Dhebar would be sending some 'saamaan' to him, and the same had to be further passed on to Agrawal," the ED said.

"Thereafter, Chaitanya Baghel used to intimate him one day before the supposed delivery of cash from Dhebar. That he clarified that the term 'saamaan' was a code word used for cash," it said.

Agarwal is presently absconding.

"Chaitanya was the central figure and controller of the liquor syndicate, exercising direct command over its finances, supervising the flow of illegal funds, and utilizing the proceeds of crime for personal and business ventures," the ED alleged.

Chaitanya Baghel had utilised proceeds of crime of Rs 18.90 crore in his real estate project, namely Vitthal Green and Rs 3.10 crore in his real estate firm M/s Baghel Developers and Associates, it claimed.

The investigation has also brought to record crucial digital evidence in the form of WhatsApp chats recovered from the mobile phones of the accused persons.

The recovered chats also show Chaitanya was actively coordinating with Dhebar and Saumya Chaurasia, then deputy secretary at the CM office, for settlement of accounts, scheduling of meetings, and smooth transfer of funds, the ED alleged.

The state's Economic Offence Wing (EOW)/Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered an FIR on January 17 last year in the "liquor scam", about a month after the BJP defeated the Congress in the assembly polls, and named 70 individuals and companies, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma and ex-chief secretary Vivek Dhand.

The syndicate, apart from collecting commission on the sale of accounted and official liquor and sale of unaccounted illegal liquor, also charged quid pro quo bribes from main distillers to operate in Chhattisgarh so that they can form a cartel and divide the entire market share among themselves, the ED claimed.

The investigation has suggested the entire proceeds of crime were being collected and appropriated by the then officials and in charge of then ruling party in the state- Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee, it alleged.

The ED in January arrested Lakhma, besides Dhebar, Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service officer Arunpati Tripathi and some others as part of its probe into the case.