Chaitanya Baghel Linked to Proceeds of Crime in Liquor Scam Case: ED Tells Court

ED claims Chaitanya Baghel, son of Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, is linked to proceeds of crime in a liquor case. The agency alleges that Mr. Baghel has been in possession of proceeds of crime and is actively involved in its acquisition, possession, concealment, and transfer. Mr. Baghel's lawyers deny the allegations, stating that he has legitimate sources of income from an agriculture business.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with a money laundering probe linked to an alleged Rs 2,100-crore liquor scam [1]. The arrest followed fresh raids conducted at the Baghels' Bhilai residence, where both father and son reside.

The ED claimed that companies linked to Chaitanya Baghel have been in possession of proceeds of crime and are actively involved in its acquisition, possession, concealment, and transfer [2]. The agency alleged that Mr. Baghel is in receipt of proceeds of crime amounting to ₹16.70 crore and has played an important role in handling more than ₹1,000 crore originating out of the liquor scam [2].

Laxmi Narayan Bansal, another accused in the case, admitted to handling over ₹1,000 crore in cash originating from the liquor scam in association with Mr. Baghel [3]. According to the ED, Bansal would collect these funds from Anwar Dhebar via Dipen Chawda and then deliver them to Shri Ram Gopal Agarwal and Shri K.K. Srivastava, all under Chaitanya Baghel's instructions [3].

Chaitanya Baghel's lawyers, Faisal Rizvi and Harshwardhan Parganiha, denied all the allegations, stating that the accused has legitimate sources of income, primarily from an agriculture business spanning over 200 acres of land, and that these can be justified by his annual Income Tax Returns (ITRs) [2].

The arrest is part of a larger probe into the liquor scam, which has been ongoing for several months. The ED has been conducting raids and arrests to unravel the complex web of money laundering and criminal activities surrounding the case.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chhattisgarh/chaitanya-baghel-actively-linked-to-proceeds-of-crime-in-liquor-case-ed-tells-court/article69829080.ece
[2] https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ed-arrests-chhattisgarh-ex-cm-bhupesh-baghels-son-in-liquor-scam-case/articleshow/122744224.cms
[3] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ed-arrests-chhattisgarh-ex-cm-bhupesh-baghels-son-in-liquor-scam-case/articleshow/122744224.cms