Officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducting searches at former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s residence were attacked by a group of individuals. The searches were part of an ongoing money laundering investigation involving his son, Chaitanya Baghel, in connection with an alleged liquor scam.

Advertisment

According to ED officials, the attack was carried out by individuals believed to be Congress workers protesting against the searches. A vehicle belonging to a deputy director-level ED officer was also damaged during the incident. Visuals from the site showed a large crowd surrounding ED personnel and physically confronting them.

ED conducts searches at multiple locations

The ED searched around 14-15 locations across Chhattisgarh, including the premises of Chaitanya Baghel in Bhilai and those linked to his associate, Laxmi Narayan Bansal, also known as Pappu Bansal. The raids were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Advertisment

Officials stated that Chaitanya Baghel shares his Bhilai accommodation with his father, Bhupesh Baghel, making the property relevant to the investigation. They suspect that Chaitanya Baghel received financial benefits from the alleged scam.

Also read: CCTV footage captures as armed robbers steal jewellery worth over $2mn from Tanishq showroom in Bihar

Bhupesh Baghel responds to ED searches

Advertisment

Following the raid, Bhupesh Baghel revealed that the ED recovered Rs 33 lakh in cash from his residence. He explained that the amount was found among family members, including his wife, daughters, son, and daughter-in-law. Baghel attributed the cash to income from farming and dairy activities on their 140-acre landholding.

“I was reading the newspaper and having tea when the ED team arrived. I welcomed them and told them I had been expecting them for a long time. My family and I engage in farming, and the cash found was what we had already declared. It included streedhan (jewellery) as well,” Baghel said in a statement quoted by ANI.

Also read: Government cracks down on tobacco, alcohol advertisements in Indian Premier League

Baghel criticises ED actions

Baghel alleged that the ED attempted to create an unnecessary spectacle by using currency-counting machines during the search. “A perception was created that large sums were being counted. ₹33 lakh is not an unusually large amount for a joint family involved in agriculture,” he said.

He further claimed that the raids were politically motivated, linking them to his questioning of the ruling BJP government in the state assembly. “Kawasi Lakhma asked questions in the assembly, and ED raided his home within eight days. I questioned Vijay Sharma about housing for the poor, and within four days, they arrived at my residence,” Baghel remarked.

The ED has not officially commented on Baghel’s statements, while investigations into the alleged liquor scam continue.