Raipur, Dec 22 (IANS) In a major development in the multi-crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam, the Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) on Monday filed the eighth charge sheet against Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in the Special Court here.
This is the eighth overall charge sheet in the case, including the original and supplementary ones. The document details the current investigation status for the arrested accused, includes digital evidence reports, and updates on ongoing probes against others yet to be apprehended.
The probe remains active, with authorities indicating more revelations could emerge. Investigators allege Chaitanya Baghel played a pivotal role in establishing and coordinating the illegal “recovery system” or syndicate within the state Excise Department during the previous Congress government when his father Bhupesh Baghel was the chief minister.
He reportedly acted as a key protector and facilitator, bridging high-level administrative figures such as Anil Tuteja, Saumya Chaurasia, Arunpati Tripathi, and Niranjan Das with ground-level operators, including Anwar Dhebar, Arvind Singh, and Vikas Agarwal.
Baghel is accused of directing illicit fund flows, transferring scam proceeds collected by Dhebar’s network upward through trusted associates.
Evidence points to him receiving his share—estimated at Rs 200-250 crore—via banking channels into family firms linked to Trilok Singh Dhillon, which were then invested in real estate projects.
Additional funds allegedly reached him through associates and family friends. The charge sheet highlights how high-level political and administrative protection enabled the syndicate to operate unchecked for years.
Current estimates peg the scam’s illegal proceeds at approximately Rs 3,074 crore, with projections suggesting the total could surpass Rs 3,500 crore upon completion of the investigation.
The alleged irregularities occurred between 2019 and 2022 under the Bhupesh Baghel-led administration, involving unauthorised liquor sales, commissions, and policy manipulations, causing massive revenue loss to the state exchequer.
Previous probes by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the parallel money-laundering case have echoed similar findings, arresting several, including Chaitanya Baghel, earlier this year.
The EOW/ACB’s latest filing intensifies scrutiny on the syndicate’s upper echelons.
As the case progresses, it continues to raise questions about governance and accountability in one of India’s largest alleged excise scandals.
–IANS
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