Kumar Bahukhandi
ED raids premises related to Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh excise policy case. – Photo: Prime Look
In such a situation, it is important to know what is the matter of the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh? What has come to light so far on this? Why did the Enforcement Directorate team reach Bhupesh Baghel’s house for raid? Which big names have been arrested in the case before? Also, how big is this scam? Let’s know…
In Chhattisgarh on Monday morning, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided in connection with the liquor scam. During this, the central agency raided a total of 14 places including the locations related to former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and his son Chaitanya Baghel. Political activities started in Chhattisgarh as soon as the information about the raid came to light. On the information of the raid, Congress workers reached Bhupesh Baghel’s house and started protesting against the action. During this, the crowd also raised slogans against the ED.
On the other hand, the BJP also retaliated in this matter. Chhattisgarh CM Vishnudev Sai said that everyone knows how many scams took place in the Congress government. The ED is investigating it and the BJP has no interference in it.
In such a situation, it is important to know what is the matter of the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh? What has come to light so far on this? Why did the Enforcement Directorate team reach Bhupesh Baghel’s house for raid? Which big names have been arrested in the case before this? Also, how big is this scam? Let’s know…
What is the matter of liquor scam in Chhattisgarh?
In Chhattisgarh, Congress won the elections in 2018 and Bhupesh Baghel became the Chief Minister. It is said that the liquor scam started in the very next year, 2019. Due to this, black money was earned through liquor in Chhattisgarh till 2022. The Enforcement Directorate says that all this happened under the nose of the Bhupesh Baghel government.
What is the connection of the case with Noida?
The ED says that the people allegedly involved in the scam had given the tender to Prism Holography Security Films Private Limited Company, which does holography work in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, to make fake holograms. This company was not eligible to make holograms, yet by amending the rules, this tender was given to the company. Another revelation was that this company was linked to a bureaucrat of Chhattisgarh itself.
What was the mode of operation?
In 2017, the government of Chief Minister Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh announced a new excise policy. Under this, Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL) was established. This institution was given the task of buying liquor from liquor producers and selling it through its stores. The Chhattisgarh government wanted to centralize the entire record of liquor sales through this scheme.
The ED says that the plan of the Raman Singh government was clear. But when the government changed in Chhattisgarh in 2018, the management of CSMCL was also changed. In this way, the liquor syndicate took over and started a parallel excise department. From senior bureaucrats of the state to politicians and officers of the excise department, all were involved in this syndicate.
How was the liquor scam ‘played’ for three years?
In February 2019, Indian Telecommunication Service (ITS) officer Arun Pati Tripathi was made the head of CSMCL.
In May 2019, he took over the responsibility of Managing Director in the corporation. According to the ED, after this, illegal sale of liquor started from government vends.
To help in illegal sale, the officers changed the company that used to make the holograms that are put on the liquor bottles, that is, the proof of its authenticity.
In its place, another company was given the contract to make holograms. This company was asked to make some fake holograms along with making the original holograms.
The fake holograms were allegedly sent directly to Tripathi, who used to send it to the producers of country liquor. These producers used to put real holograms on some bottles and fake ones on others.
Along with these duplicate holograms, duplicate bottles were also procured. Liquor was filled in these and sent directly to the liquor shops instead of the state warehouse.
In this case, the ED has told the court that due to these activities, a large quantity of liquor was supplied illegally in Chhattisgarh for the next three years. About 40 lakh liters of liquor did not come in the government records. No details of their purchase and sale were kept. Rather, in this scam, the share of everyone from the distiller to the transporter, hologram maker, bottle maker, excise officer and politicians was fixed.
The shocking thing is that the source of income of the people involved in the scam was not only from the illegal sale of liquor, but the excise officers were also taking illegal commission from the producers on legal sales.
How was the secret of the scam revealed?
When the ED started investigating the matter, it was revealed that the tender for holograms on liquor bottles in Chhattisgarh was won by businessman Vidhu Gupta’s company. However, he got this tender through illegal commission. When the Enforcement Directorate arrested Vidhu, he named Arunpati Tripathi, who was made the MD of CSMCL by the Baghel government, liquor businessman Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of Raipur Mayor, and Anil Tuteja. When the ED arrested these three accused, more revelations were made in the case.
Who all have been investigated in this case so far, who has been arrested?
The ACB and EOW registered an FIR in January 2024 on the basis of the ED letter. In the FIR registered by the EOW, IAS Anil Tuteja (Joint Secretary of the Commerce-Industry Department during the alleged scam), Arunpati Tripathi, Congress leader and Raipur Mayor Ejaz Dhebar’s elder brother, liquor businessman Anwar Dhebar have been described as the masterminds of the scam. A large part of the income from the liquor scam went to these three. ED arrested all three of these accused.
Why was the Excise Minister of Baghel government arrested?
According to ED, the arrested Arunpati Tripathi and Arvind Singh had told during interrogation that former minister Kawasi Lakhma used to get commission every month. Lakhma used to get Rs 50 lakh every month from the liquor cartel. Apart from Rs 50 lakh, another Rs 1.5 crore was also given. In this way, he used to get Rs 2 crore as commission every month.
Officers working in the Excise Department told that they used to arrange the money and send it to them. Bags of money were prepared and sent to Sukma through Kanhaiya Lal Kurre. When a search was conducted at the house of Kawasi Lakhma’s son Harish Lakhma, ED found digital evidence.
Investigation of these digital evidences revealed that Lakhma built Congress Bhawan and his luxurious house with this alleged bribe money. The proceeds of crime in 36 months are worth Rs 72 crore. This amount has been invested in the construction of his son Harish Lakhna’s house and Sukma Congress Bhawan.
According to ED, when Lakhma was questioned, he did not cooperate in the investigation. In such a situation, the agency argued that the Congress leader may try to destroy the evidence in the case. In such a situation, he was arrested. After the arrest, he was produced in the court, where he was sent on remand.
