The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided the residence of Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam under investigation in the state.
The raids are part of the agency’s expanded probe into alleged money laundering and systemic corruption involving politicians, bureaucrats, and liquor traders. According to the ED, Chaitanya Baghel is believed to be one of the recipients of the “proceeds of crime” from the ₹2,161 crore liquor scam, which allegedly ran between 2019 and 2022.
In response to the raid, Bhupesh Baghel’s office posted on social media platform X: “ED has arrived. Today is the last day of the Assembly session. The issue of trees being cut in Tamnar for Adani was supposed to be raised today. ‘Saheb’ has sent the ED to the Bhilai residence.”
The agency had previously conducted searches in March 2025 at 14 locations across Chhattisgarh, including the residences of Bhupesh and Chaitanya Baghel, seizing ₹30 lakh in cash.
The ED alleges that a powerful cartel comprising politicians, government officials, and liquor businessmen manipulated the state-run liquor distribution system. A significant portion of the alcohol sold was never recorded in official documentation, and bribes were reportedly collected from suppliers to facilitate off-the-books sales.
The investigation was triggered by an earlier Income Tax Department report highlighting irregularities in the state’s liquor trade. The ED has since arrested several individuals, including IAS officer Anil Tuteja and liquor trader Anwar Dhebar, brother of Raipur’s mayor.
Reacting to the developments earlier this year, Baghel’s office had remarked:
“When the false case going on for seven years was dismissed in court, today the guests of ED have entered the Bhilai residence… If someone is trying to stop Congress in Punjab through this conspiracy, then it is a misunderstanding.”
The liquor scam continues to be one of the most high-profile corruption cases in Chhattisgarh, with far-reaching political and legal implications.
