Raipur: The High Court has dismissed Chaitanya Baghel’s petition challenging the ED’s arrest. This decision was made by a single bench headed by Justice Arvind Kumar Verma. The verdict was reserved on September 24th after hearing both parties. The petition described the ED’s action as unconstitutional and illegal.
The ED arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, from his Bhilai residence on July 18, his birthday, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED initiated the investigation into the liquor scam based on an FIR registered by the ACB/EOW Raipur under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the scam caused significant losses to the state exchequer and that approximately Rs 2,500 crore of illegal proceeds (POC) were pocketed by scam beneficiaries.
Chaitanya received Rs 16.70 crore in cash from the liquor scam
The ED investigation revealed that Chaitanya Baghel received ₹16.70 crore from the liquor scam. He used this money in his real estate firms. This money was used through cash payments to his project contractor, bank entries against the cash, etc. He also colluded with Trilok Singh Dhillon and used his companies to devise a scheme whereby he indirectly received ₹5 crore under the guise of purchasing flats in his “Vitthalpuram Project” in the names of Trilok Singh Dhillon’s employees. There is a banking trail that indicates that Trilok Singh Dhillon received payments from the liquor syndicate in his bank accounts during the relevant period of the transactions.
Many big names are already under arrest
The ED has arrested former IAS officers Anil Tuteja, Arvind Singh, Trilok Singh Dhillon, Anwar Dhebar, ITS officer Arun Pati Tripathi, and former minister and current MLA Kawasi Lakhma in connection with the liquor scam. Further investigation is currently underway.
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