In a major setback for Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son, a special court has rejected his bail plea in connection to the state’s alleged liquor scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Chaitanya Baghel, arrested on July 18, of investing Rs 16.7 crore in illegally generated funds into his real estate ventures through cash payments, fake bank entries, and benami property purchases.
Last month, the probe agency filed a 7,000-page chargesheet against the former Chief Minister’s son.
According to investigations, Chaitanya, along with accused businessman Trilok Singh Dhillon, floated a fraudulent investment plan under a housing project named ‘Vitthalpuram’, gaining nearly Rs 5 crore via flats booked in the names of Dhillon’s employees while remaining the actual beneficiary.
The ED further claims that Chaitanya allegedly handled proceeds exceeding Rs 1,000 crore through a network operated by Dhillon and key accused Anwar Dhebar, which eventually reached the Congress’ then treasurer in the state.
The case is part of the high-profile Chhattisgarh liquor scam, pegged at more than Rs 3,200 crore that occurred between 2019 and 2022, during the tenure of the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel.
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