A team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was attacked in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, on Monday (10 August) following searches at the residence of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. The attack occurred as ED officials were leaving Baghel’s house after conducting raids in connection with an alleged liquor scam involving his son, Chaitanya Baghel.
According to sources, as the ED team stepped out, a group of people launched an attack, pelting stones at their vehicle. Large stones were reportedly thrown at the front and rear of the ED team’s car. However, no information on injuries has been confirmed so far.
ED’s Action Against Chaitanya Baghel
The ED conducted searches at multiple locations linked to Chaitanya Baghel under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). News agency PTI reported that raids were carried out at Chaitanya Baghel’s premises in Bhilai, along with those of his alleged close associate, Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal, and several others.
Chaitanya Baghel resides with his father in Bhilai, and the agency suspects he is a recipient of the proceeds of crime from the liquor scam. The ED has alleged that the Chhattisgarh liquor ‘scam’ caused massive revenue losses to the state, with over ₹2,100 crore allegedly pocketed by beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate.
Following the raids, several Congress leaders and party workers gathered outside Bhupesh Baghel’s residence, alleging a political vendetta by the central government. They claimed the raids were orchestrated by the BJP to target opposition leaders.
‘ED Found ₹32-33 Lakh Cash In My House, Not A Big Thing’: Bhupesh Baghel On Raid
Reacting to the ED raids, Bhupesh Baghel accused the BJP of “frustration” and claimed the action was an attempt to silence him after he was appointed Congress’s in-charge for Punjab.
Speaking to reporters, Baghel said, “The ED found ₹32-33 lakh cash in my house, which is not a big thing. I have a big family and we do farming on 140 acres, apart from other sources of income. We will provide all details.”
He further alleged that the ED had not found anything significant apart from documents related to cases concerning BJP leaders. “The investigation into the liquor scam has been ongoing for three years, yet they (ED) have neither filed a final report nor framed charges,” he said.
Baghel also linked the ED’s action to his recent questioning of the Chhattisgarh government in the state assembly. “I asked Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma about the housing scheme for the poor during the budget session, and just within four days, the ED arrived at my residence,” he alleged.
He claimed that the BJP’s frustration had intensified after he was acquitted by a special CBI court in Raipur in a seven-year-old case. “Because of these two reasons, BJP is very much frustrated,” he alleged.
The ED has yet to issue an official statement on the attack against its team in Bhilai. Meanwhile, the agency is expected to register a case regarding the incident.
(With PTI Inputs)
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