Kumar Bahukhandi
Former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma got arrested by ED in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam case. On Wednesday January 15, 2025 ED arrested him – Phot-By Arrangements’
Former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma has been arrested by ED in Chhattisgarh liquor scam case. On Wednesday January 15, 2025 morning, he reached ED office for interrogation. Where ED arrested him. Son Harish Lakhma was released by ED team after interrogation. ED have produced Kawasi Lakhma before the court . where after argument , Lakhma has been sent on remand till January 21, 2025 . Meanwhile, BJP state office in-charge Naresh Chandra Gupta’s statement has come out on the arrest of Kawasi Lakhma.
Raipur: Former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma has been arrested by ED in Chhattisgarh liquor scam case. On Wednesday January 15 , 2025 morning, he reached ED office for interrogation. Where ED arrested him. ED team released his son Harish Lakhma after interrogation. Ed have presented Lakhma (71), a six-time MLA from the Konta constituency in Sukma, was summoned to the enforcement directorate (ED) office in the Pachpedi Naka area of Raipur, where he was arrested and later produced in court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) from where he has been sent to in remand till Tuesday January 21 , 2025 .
Let us inform you that The ED conducted raids last month across Raipur, Dhamtari, and Sukma districts, including the residential premises of Lakhma and his son, Harish.
However Lakhma said that “neither any document nor a single penny was found during raids at my places. I am being sent to jail in a false case. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah, and Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai are trying to suppress the voice of a poor tribal and Bastar. Since panchayat elections are approaching in the state, they want to keep me away from elections. Therefore, they have taken action against me,” Lakhma added.
The ED began its investigation in November 2022 and claimed that ₹2,161 crore in corruption money was generated in the alleged liquor scam between 2019 and 2023 through multiple methods.
In a previous statement, the ED alleged that Lakhma was a primary recipient of cash proceeds during his tenure as excise minister and he regularly received “substantial amounts in cash on a monthly basis” from the proceeds of the liquor scam.
The ED further alleged that the scam was orchestrated by a syndicate led by ( Retired) Indian administrative service (IAS) officer Anil Tuteja and Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar’s brother Anwar Dhebar.
On the other hand former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel criticised the action, calling it a “political vendetta.”
