Raipur: A special court of Raipur on August 29 approved Economic Offence Wing’s [EOW] remand of two liquor businessman from Jharkhand in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged multi-crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam case.
Atul Singh and Mukesh Manchanda, both directors of foreign liquor licensee firm Om Sai Beverages who were taken into custody by the EOW on Thursday produced before the special court which sent them into EOW’s remand till September 6. The duo was already lodging in prison in Jharkhand in connection with a similar case.
Both Singh and Manchanda are accused of collecting commission on liquor trade as part of the case being investigated by the agency. They were brought to Raipur on production warrant by the officials.
Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam Case
ED claimed to unearth Rs 2100 crore liquor scam in the state being operated by a cartel composed of bureaucrats, private liquor suppliers, government officials and persons with heavy political backing.
The agency’s investigation into the liquor scam, which allegedly ran between 2019 and 2022 under the regime of Congress government, revealed that proceeds of crime were generated as illegal commissions, which were generated in multiple ways.
The agency had claimed that bribes were collected from the distillers per ‘case’ of liquor procured from them by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), a state body for the purchase and sale of liquor.
“Bribes are taken from distillers to allow them to make a cartel and have fixed market share, and holders who were introduced to earn in foreign liquor segment also,” ED had said.
EOW’s investigation into the matter
EOW in January 2024 filed a separate First Information Report (FIR) into the matter, naming as many as 70 people including of businessmen, leaders of the Congress party, and a few state officials, in connection with the multi-crore scam.
The case was registered on the basis of investigation done by the ED. The agency has so far arrested more than a dozen people in connection with the case and filed 6 chargesheet.
Read more at: Court extends Chaitanya Baghel custody by two weeks
The EOW in June this year filed a supplementary chargesheet before a special court in Raipur, naming former excise minister of Chhattisgarh and sitting Congress MLA from Konta of Sukma, Kawasi Lakhma.
EOW’s chargesheet indicated that Lakhma who was excise minister in the previous regime of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh led by former CM Bhupesh Baghel, got a share of over Rs 60 crore from the said scam.
ED in January this year arrested Kawasi Lakhma in connection with the case. Following his arrest, the ED claimed that the Congress MLA was receiving a hefty sum of money on a monthly basis out of the proceeds of crime generated under Rs 2100 alleged liquor scam. As per the agency, Kawasi Lakhma was one of the main recipients of proceeds of crime in cash during his regime as excise minister in the previous Congress government of the state.
ED arrested Chaitanya Baghel son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel on July 18 in connection with the money laundering case.
The agency following the arrest of Chaitanya claimed that he received Proceeds Of Crime (PoC) worth Rs 16.70 crore. In a larger revelation, the ED stated that Chaitanya Baghel was involved in handling over Rs 1,000 crore of proceeds from the liquor scam. “He reportedly coordinated with key accused Anwar Dhebar and others to facilitate the transfer of illicit funds to the then treasurer of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee.”
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