In a significant development, the Chhattisgarh High Court on Friday granted bail to Chaitanya Baghel, the son of former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Baghel had been in judicial custody for over five months following his arrest in connection with the massive alleged liquor scam worth Rs 2,883 crore.
Legal Relief After Multiple Rejections
Confirming the court's decision, Chaitanya Baghel's lawyer, Harshwardhan Pargania, stated that the High Court pronounced its order in two linked cases. One case was filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the other by the state's Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The bail pleas were heard extensively in December, and the orders were reserved until today's pronouncement.
Baghel was initially arrested by the ED on July 18, 2025. His father, Bhupesh Baghel, had termed the arrest an act of political vendetta. After special courts for the ED and EOW rejected his bail applications, Chaitanya Baghel approached the High Court in October seeking relief.
Scale of the Allegations and Chargesheets
The case revolves around accusations that a criminal network, in collusion with political and administrative officials, manipulated liquor sales through government-run shops to extort illegal commissions.
The state EOW, in its chargesheet filed on December 22, alleged that Chaitanya Baghel personally gained between Rs 200 and 250 crore from the scam during the period from 2019 to 2022, when his father was the chief minister.
Earlier, the ED had submitted a supplementary prosecution complaint on September 15, alleging that Baghel handled approximately Rs 1,000 crore generated from the scam. In its final chargesheet filed on December 26, the ED claimed the scam operated between 2019 and 2023 and caused a loss of Rs 2,883 crore to the state treasury.
Wide Net of Accused and Attached Assets
So far, a total of 81 individuals have been charge-sheeted in this sprawling case. This includes 59 persons named in the final prosecution complaint. The list of accused is notable and includes:
- Chaitanya Baghel
- Former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma
- Former CMO deputy secretary Saumya Chaurasia
- Anwar Dhebar, brother of Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar
- Former IAS officer Anil Tuteja
- Income Tax officer Arunpati Tripathi
- Retired IAS officer Niranjan Das
- Approximately 30 excise department officials
The ED has issued multiple Provisional Attachment Orders, seizing movable and immovable assets valued at Rs 382.32 crore. These include 1,041 properties linked to politicians, bureaucrats, and private entities. Key attached assets comprise Hotel Vennington Court in Raipur, several properties belonging to the Dhebar and Baghel families, assets worth Rs 96.55 crore from three distillers, and Rs 38.21 crore linked to Niranjan Das.
While the trial is expected to commence next year, the ED has indicated that further investigation will continue if additional evidence surfaces. The grant of bail to a key accused marks a pivotal moment in one of Chhattisgarh's most high-profile financial scandals.
