Raipur, May 3 (IANS) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has intensified its probe into the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam, conducting simultaneous search operations across multiple locations in the state and seizing cash and valuables worth approximately Rs 5.39 crore, officials said.

According to an official statement, the Raipur Zonal Office of the ED carried out searches on April 30 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, covering 13 premises across Raipur, Durg/Bhilai, and Bilaspur districts. The searches targeted liquor traders, chartered accountants, businesspersons, and corporate entities suspected of involvement in handling or concealing proceeds of crime linked to the scam.

During the raids, officials recovered cash amounting to Rs 53 lakh and gold jewellery and bullion weighing around 3.234 kg, valued at approximately Rs 4.86 crore. In addition, several incriminating documents and digital devices were seized and are currently under analysis.

The ED is probing the case on the basis of predicate FIRs registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Raipur. Investigations so far have indicated a well-organised criminal conspiracy involving political executives, senior bureaucrats, liquor distillers, FL-10A licence holders, and their associates. The alleged scam pertains to the collection of illegal commissions in the procurement, licensing, and sale of liquor in Chhattisgarh between 2019 and 2022.

As per the EOW/ACB chargesheets, the total proceeds of crime generated through the scam have been estimated at around Rs 2,883 crore.

The ED has so far arrested nine individuals under Section 19 of the PMLA, including a retired IAS officer, the then Managing Director of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), the then Excise Commissioner, the then Excise Minister, the son of the then Chief Minister, and a Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister, among others.

The probe has spanned multiple aspects, including the role of distillers, cash handlers, hawala operators, licence holders, and political intermediaries.

Officials said that six Provisional Attachment Orders (PAOs) have been issued so far under the PMLA, leading to the attachment of movable and immovable assets worth around Rs 380 crore. These include residential and commercial properties, bank balances, vehicles, jewellery, and shares linked to the accused and their alleged benami entities. Several of these attachments have already been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority in New Delhi.

The ED has also filed six prosecution complaints before the Special Court for PMLA cases in Raipur, naming 81 accused individuals and entities. The cases are currently being contested in various judicial forums, including the Special Court, the Chhattisgarh High Court, and the Supreme Court.

Officials said the latest searches have yielded further evidence, and additional action, including more attachments and prosecution complaints, will be initiated as per the findings. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.

–IANS

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