RAIPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday filed a 7,000-page charge-sheet (prosecution complaint) against Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, before the special court at Raipur in connection with the ongoing probe linked to the multi-crore liquor scam case.
Chaitanya was arrested by ED on July 18 at his Bhilai residence.
The ED had cited Chaitanya’s alleged key involvement in laundering over Rs 1000 crore in the excise scam case and a portion of the massive scandal channelised into his real estate project ‘Vitthal Green’ under Baghel Developers.
ED has earlier claimed that the investigation has divulged on how Rs 16.70 crore in liquor scam proceeds were seemingly laundered via Baghel’s real estate ventures, besides in such entities like Dhillon City Mall, Dillon Drinks. Chaitanya, according to the probe agency, emerged as a key beneficiary of the illegal revenue contributed from the alleged liquor syndicate coordinated through businessmen and political individuals.
The Central probe agency estimated that Proceeds of Crime of around Rs 2,161 crore have been generated by the suspects in the "liquor scam”.
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Chhattisgarh state Bureau for Investigation of Economic Offences (EOW) has also presented a production warrant before the special court on Monday, seeking the custody of Chaitanya for interrogation into the liquor scam.
Besides the ED, the EOW has registered a case in the liquor scam and is probing into it. The state investigating agency has earlier this year filed charge-sheet against 22 excise officials and a six-time Congress MLA, Kawasi Lakhma, in the given case.