The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday raided over three dozen places in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in connection with its money laundering probe related to the liquor scam.
Among those being searched include Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s political advisor Vinod Verma. Incidentally, the raids come on a day when CM Baghel is celebrating his birthday.
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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bhupesh Baghel said, “Respected Prime Minister and Mr Amit Shah! Thank you very much for the priceless gift you have given me on my birthday by sending ED to my political advisor and close friends.”
Premises belonging to two Baghel’s OSDs (officers on special duty) Manish Banchhor and Ashish Verma were also searched by the ED officials. Baghel’s aide, Vijay Bhatia, is under ED’s scanner as well and his premises were also searched by the agency.
According to the ED allegations, Rs 776 crore commission out of total Rs 2,161 crore collected in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam by Anwar Dhebar, prime accused and brother of Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar, went to “political executives”.
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Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, at least 34 places were being raided including the premises of Rohit Oroan, son of Jharkhand finance minister Rameshwar Oroan.
The probe agency has so far chargesheeted Dhebar, Arunpati Tripathi, former managing director of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), liquor businessman Trilok Singh Dhillon, hotelier Nitesh Purohit and Dhebar’s aide, Arvind Singh, in the case, Hindustan Times reported.