Raipur, Chhattisgarh: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken major action on Friday in the money laundering case in Chhattisgarh. Saumya Chaurasia, Deputy Secretary to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, has been arrested by the ED in the coal scam money laundering case. ED has also produced her in court.
Earlier in the month of October, the Enforcement Directorate team had camped at Sayaji Hotel in Raipur. They had made the hotel itself the camp office. Mining director JP Maurya was taken to the camp office in the midst of the action in different districts of the state. After this, Sameer Vishnoi, CEO of CHIPS (Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society), and his wife were also called for questioning. It was also told that the interrogation of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s OSD Saumya Chaurasia was completed.
On the other hand, in the earlier action by ED, four crore cash, gold, and jewelry worth crores were recovered from the house of an IAS officer. Although the name of the officer was not brought to the fore, after this, other ED officers from Delhi also reached Raipur by evening. It was told that around 200 CRPF personnel had reached Chhattisgarh. There are more people doing coal and sand business who are in ED’s target.
It must be noted that it was only last week that the Chhattisgarh CM had accused the ED officials of inhuman acts and crossing their limits related to the case. He also termed a raid on Saumya’s house in 2020 as “political revenge” and had accused the opposition of destabilizing the government. Now, after the arrest of his close aide, no official statement has come out from the CM’s office. Further investigations are on in the case.