Bhilai: Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday from his house in Bhilai, in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh.
The arrest came after a search of the house, in connection with the alleged multi-crore liquor scam in the state. Chaitanya has been charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The Baghel residence in Bhilai was searched on March 10 by the ED. It searched the premises again on Friday following receipt of fresh evidence in the case, an official said.
Chaitanya is suspected to be the recipient of the alleged liquor scam’s proceeds that could be more than Rs 2,100 crore.
Bhupendra Baghel took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, calling the action ‘gifts’ on his son’s birthday. According to him, this was done to prevent him from raising the issue of trees being felled for a coal mine project by the Adani Group in the Tamnar tehsil of the state’s Raigarh district.
Chaitanya’s arrest coincides with his birthday.
All Congress MLAs including Baghel boycotted the Assembly proceedings in the morning.
“The way ED is putting pressure to harass Baghel and on us its important to talk about it. They have arrested Chaitanya. We oppose it and we boycott the proceedings,” Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant said as all Congress MLAs walked out of the Assembly shouting a slogan: “Ek pedh Maa ke naam baki sab Baap ke naam (One tree in mother’s name and remaining all in father’s name).
The Modi government had launched a team plantation drive named drive named “Ek Pedh Maa Ke Naam”.
“To please their master, Modi and Shah have sent the ED to my house. We are not going to be scared or bow down. Bhupesh Baghel won’t be afraid. We will fight the battle of truth.” Bhupesh Baghel said.
“On one hand, in Bihar, voters are being removed (from the voters list) with the help of the Election Commission … democracy is being stripped, and on the other hand, they are misusing the ED, IT, CBI, DRI to suppress opposition leaders. But now, people of the country have understood and are well aware,” he said.