Raipur: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) intensified its investigation into the multi-crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam by conducting simultaneous search operations at 13 different locations on April 30. These raids, carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), spanned across the districts of Raipur, Durg, Bhilai, and Bilaspur. The targeted premises belonged to a wide array of individuals and entities, including liquor traders, chartered accountants, businesspersons, and corporate bodies suspected of handling or concealing the proceeds of crime generated through the alleged state-wide racket.
During the course of these search operations, federal agents recovered significant assets and incriminating materials. The authorities reported the seizure of 53 lakh rupees in cash along with approximately 3.234 kilograms of gold jewellery and bullion, valued at nearly 4.86 crore rupees. This brings the total value of seizures from this specific round of raids to approximately 5.39 crore rupees. In addition to the physical valuables, the agency also secured a variety of documents and digital devices that are currently undergoing detailed forensic analysis to uncover further layers of the financial trail.
The ongoing investigation by the ED is based on predicate FIRs originally registered by the Economic Offences Wing and the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Raipur. The probe has revealed a sophisticated and systematic criminal conspiracy that allegedly operated between 2019 and 2022. This conspiracy reportedly involved high-ranking political executives, senior bureaucrats, and liquor distillers who conspired to extort illegal commissions from the procurement and sale of liquor. To date, the total proceeds of crime associated with the scam have been quantified at a staggering 2,883 crore rupees by the provincial investigative agencies in their respective chargesheets.
The enforcement agency has made significant progress in bringing the accused to justice, having arrested nine individuals under the PMLA so far. High-profile figures taken into custody include a retired IAS officer, the former managing director of the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited, the former Excise Commissioner, and a former provincial minister. Notably, the son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and a former deputy secretary to the chief minister are also among those arrested. The investigation continues to track the involvement of various cash handlers, hawala conduits, and political associates linked to the illicit network.
In terms of asset recovery, the ED has issued six provisional attachment orders targeting movable and immovable properties valued at roughly 380 crore rupees. These attached assets include residential and commercial real estate, bank balances, luxury vehicles, and shares held by the accused or their benami entities. With six chargesheets already filed before the special PMLA court in Raipur naming 81 individuals and organisations, the legal battle is being actively contested across multiple judicial levels, including the High Court of Chhattisgarh and the Supreme Court of India. Agency sources indicated that further actions, including more attachments and chargesheets, will be initiated as more evidence is processed.
