Raipur: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chhattisgarh Congress leader Ramgopal Agrawal on Tuesday in a money‑laundering probe linked to an alleged liquor scam that the agency says operated in the state between 2019 and 2022, officials said. Agrawal, a former treasurer of the state Congress, was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
ED to seek custodial remand for interrogation
ED officials said the agency will produce Agrawal before a local court in Raipur and seek custodial remand to conduct further interrogation. Agrawal had earlier been arrested in July by the Chhattisgarh Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with certain related cases, the ED statement added.
The federal agency has alleged that a criminal syndicate involving senior bureaucrats and political figures had "completely hijacked" the state excise department during the period when Chhattisgarh was governed by a Congress administration led by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
"The alleged commission generated through illegal sale of liquor was shared as per the directions from the highest political executives of the state," the agency said.
Scale of the alleged scam and legal action so far
The ED has claimed the operation resulted in a "massive loss" to the state exchequer, quantified at ₹2,883 crore. According to the agency, it has filed seven chargesheets and named 85 accused in its cumulative investigations. Notable among those named are Chaitanya Baghel, son of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel; former Chhattisgarh Excise Commissioner Niranjan Das; former Joint Secretary Anil Tuteja; former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma; and former Deputy Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office Saumya Chaurasia.
| Allegation | Agency figures |
|---|---|
| Estimated loss to state exchequer | ₹2,883 crore |
| Chargesheets filed | 7 |
| Accused named | 85 |
Previous police action and the ED's case
Agrawal's arrest by the EOW in July preceded the ED action. The ED's PMLA case is focused on alleged proceeds of crime and the laundering of commissions that the agency says flowed from illegal liquor sales. Investigators contend the alleged illegal proceeds were distributed according to directions from senior political executives; the ED has sought to trace, attach and recover such proceeds and related assets under provisions of the PMLA.
State and central investigating agencies have been conducting parallel enquiries. The ED's action reflects its mandate to probe financial transactions and money‑laundering aspects arising from predicate offences alleged to have occurred during the specified period.
Political and procedural implications
The arrest of a former party treasurer in a high‑profile probe has political reverberations in Chhattisgarh, where the period named in the ED's allegations coincides with the Congress government led by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Several politically prominent individuals have been named in the ED's filings; however, being named as an accused in agency papers is not a conviction and the matter will proceed through courts.
Legal experts note that custodial remand hearings will determine the scope of the ED's interrogation and any subsequent applications for attachment of assets or further charge‑sheeting under PMLA provisions. The ED has been active nationally in pursuing cases where it alleges complex money‑laundering linked to corruption or fraudulent schemes.
- Who is affected: Accused individuals named in ED filings; the state excise administration; and political stakeholders in Chhattisgarh.
- What happens next: The ED will seek custodial remand in a local court in Raipur for interrogation; further legal proceedings will follow based on evidence gathered.
- Legal frame: Action taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act; earlier arrests by the Chhattisgarh Police EOW form part of the investigative record.
The ED and the EOW have not released full investigative dossiers in the public domain; the agency's claims and figures appear in its filings and statements related to the ongoing probe. Court proceedings and future filings will disclose further details as the case progresses.
