The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has ramped up its investigation into the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam by conducting simultaneous searches at various locations in the state. Cash and valuables totaling around Rs 5.39 crore were seized during the operations. The searches, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, targeted liquor traders, accountants, businessmen, and corporate entities suspected of involvement in money laundering related to the scam.
Officials recovered Rs 53 lakh in cash, as well as gold jewelry and bullion weighing approximately 3.234 kg valued at Rs 4.86 crore during the raids. Additionally, incriminating documents and digital devices were confiscated for further analysis. The ED’s investigation is based on FIRs filed by the Economic Offences Wing and Anti-Corruption Bureau in Raipur, revealing an organized criminal conspiracy involving political figures, bureaucrats, liquor distillers, and license holders.
The alleged scam revolves around the illicit collection of commissions in the procurement, licensing, and sale of liquor in Chhattisgarh between 2019 and 2022. The total proceeds of crime from the scam are estimated at around Rs 2,883 crore according to EOW/ACB chargesheets. Nine individuals, including a retired IAS officer and government officials, have been arrested under the PMLA in connection with the case.
Six Provisional Attachment Orders have been issued under the PMLA, leading to the attachment of assets worth approximately Rs 380 crore. These include properties, bank balances, vehicles, jewelry, and shares linked to the accused and their alleged benami entities. The ED has also filed prosecution complaints against 81 individuals and entities in various courts, with further actions expected based on ongoing investigations.
