Listen To This Post
Former Chhattisgarh CM Alleges Political Vendetta by Centre
Agencies/Thenewsdose.com
Raipur, July 18,UPDATED:5.30PM
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with a money laundering case allegedly linked to the now-scrapped liquor scam in the state.
Chaitanya was taken into custody from his residence in Bhilai town, Durg district, under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following fresh searches by the ED at the house he shares with his father. He was later produced before a special PMLA court in Raipur.
Reacting sharply to the arrest, Bhupesh Baghel accused the BJP-led Centre of weaponising investigative agencies like the ED, CBI, Income Tax Department, and DRI to systematically target opposition leaders and suppress dissent.
“To please their master, PM Modi and Amit Shah have sent the ED to my house. We are not afraid. Bhupesh Baghel will not bow down. We will fight this battle with truth on our side,” the former CM told reporters outside his Bhilai home.
He also questioned the timing of the raid, which coincided with his son’s birthday. “Nobody in any democracy gives birthday gifts like Modi and Shah do. On my birthday, they raided the houses of my advisor and OSDs. Now, on Chaitanya’s birthday, they have raided my house. Thanks for these unforgettable gifts,” Baghel remarked sarcastically.
The Congress leader said this was not the first time he or his family had been targeted. “Earlier, ED officials had come and seized Rs 33 lakh from my house. They’ve returned again. What does this signify? We will fully cooperate with the law, because we believe in democracy and the judiciary—even if they [the BJP] do not,” he said.
Baghel also alleged that the real motive behind the action was political pressure linked to corporate interests. “You all know that Adani wants to mine forests and the Congress has been opposing it. This crackdown is part of a larger agenda to silence opposition to corporate exploitation,” he told PTI reporters outside the court.
Highlighting recent developments in Bihar, Baghel further accused the BJP of undermining democratic institutions. “Voter names are being deleted in Bihar with the help of the Election Commission, and agencies like ED and CBI are being misused to target opposition families. But the people of India are watching. They understand what is happening,” he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly, Charan Das Mahant, also joined Baghel in condemning the ED action. Both leaders boycotted the Assembly session and reached the court premises in a symbolic protest.
The ED has not yet officially disclosed details about the allegations against Chaitanya Baghel. However, the agency has been probing a multi-crore liquor scam allegedly involving irregularities in excise policy implementation and money laundering during the Congress government’s tenure in Chhattisgarh.
With the arrest coming amid heightened political tensions, the Congress has vowed to raise the issue both inside and outside the Assembly, accusing the Centre of using state machinery for political retribution ahead of the upcoming electoral battles.
