Amid the allegations made by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Enforcement Directorate (ED) action in the alleged liquor scam worth Rs 2000 crore in Chhattisgarh is in full swing as the agency made three more arrests in the last 48 hours in the case. Overall this is the fourth catch by the agency in the multi-crore scam as earlier, Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor and close associate of CM Bhupesh Baghel, Ajaj Dhebar, was also nabbed by the ED on the wee hours of May 6.
As per the information received, ED arrested Arun Pati Tripathi, special secretary, Department of Excise Government of Chhattisgarh and managing director of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL) on May 12. The arrest has been made in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam in the State. The CSMCL in the State handles retail sales of all kinds of liquor/wine/beer to the consumers.
Earlier, the agency had arrested Nitish Purohit, promoter of the Giriraj hotel, on May 10 and produced him before the court. The central agency, in its submission before the court, alleged that Nitish Purohit was well aware of the illegal operations of Anwar Dhebar and willingly assisted him in the movements of proceeds of crime to IAS Anil Tuteja, another kingpin of the scam along with Anwar Dhebar.
On May 11, the agency made one more arrest and nabbed Triloki Singh Dhillon alias Pappu Dhillon, a liquor businessman and produced him before a special court. Both of them have been sent to the agency custody till May 15. Earlier, Anwar Dheber, the prime accused in the case, was also produced before the court on May 10, after which the court extended his custody for four more days.
The central agency has also conducted consequent searches and seized proceeds of crime worth Rs 28 crore, including freezing around 27 crores of FD and seizing a whopping 52 lakh in cash.
Meanwhile, fumed by the action of the economic intelligence agency, CM Bhupesh Baghel, while speaking with the media, alleged that the ‘central agency is working as an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party and efforts are being made to drag his name in the investigation, he also alleged that the action taken by the central agency was not in accordance with the constitutional framework and was against the basic structure of the federal system.
On the other hand, BJP spokesperson K K Sharma while lashing out at the congress Government, said it is astonishing that the Chief Minister is busy defining the judicial limitations of the agency (ED) and not worried about the 2000 crore scam flourished right under his nose, how come it is possible that a scam of such large scale has gone unnoticed by the Government that too in a tribal-dominated State, the BJP demands immediate resignation of CM Bhupesh Baghel.
“The kingpin of the scam, Anwar Dhebar, had called a meeting of the liquor supplier in the year 2019. Many Government officials were also part of that meeting in which he asked the suppliers to pay a commission of up to Rs 75 to 150 on every bottle. He also made illegal liquor and made sure that it got transported directly to the retail liquor shop evading entries in the Government books. The share of these illegal liquor sold in the last four years is around 30 to 40 per cent, added K K Sharma.
It is to be noted that earlier, the ED had claimed to unearth a 2000 crore liquor scam in the State being operated by a cartel comprised of Bureaucrats, private liquor suppliers, Government officials and persons with heavy political backing. The agency had also arrested Anwar Dhebar on May 6 and claimed that he was the kingpin on the ground in the liquor scam in which around Rs 2000 crore was illegally generated by the criminal syndicate.
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