A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were allegedly attacked by a group of Congress supporters after their day-long raid at former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s residence, news agency ANI reported.
Officials searched the house where the Congress leader lives with his wife, three daughters, a son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. The action is a part of a money laundering investigation against his son, Chaitanya Baghel, in the alleged liquor scam case.
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The ED also searched premises of Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal, and some others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
A large number of Congress leaders and workers gathered outside Baghel’s residence in Bhilai and protested against the central agency.
What ED ‘seized’?
Baghel claimed that the ED officials found ₹32-33 lakh cash and did not find any evidence except a few documents related to legal cases on BJP leaders. The former Chhattisgarh chief minister termed the raid as the outcome of the saffron party’s frustration over his work as the party’s in-charge for Punjab.
“It is not a big thing as I have a big family and we do farming on 140 acres and have other sources of income. We will provide its details,” Baghel said.
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“It shows asking questions in the state assembly has become a crime. Earlier, (former minister and party leader) Kawasi Lakhma had asked a question in the state assembly, and within 8 days of it, ED took action against him and put him in jail,” he added.
The ED alleges that Baghel’s son was the main beneficiary of the alleged proceeds of crime of more than ₹2,500 crore, a ‘commission’ generated through the illegal sale of liquor and shared “as per the directions from the highest political executives of the state.”
The Congress had termed the raid a ‘conspiracy to manage headlines’ and divert attention from people-centric issues as the parliament reconvened for the budget session. Party leaders also claimed that the BJP intended to deter Baghel’s work to revive the party in Punjab.
State chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the BJP-led government has no role in the case and blamed ‘corruption’ by Congress leaders in the past.