Chhattisgarh: Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son arrested in ₹3,200 crore liquor scam

ED attaches assets worth ₹205 crore in the case

Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel (left) and his son Chaitanya Baghel (right)

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) – Chaitanya Baghel, son of Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Bhilai in connection with a major liquor scam. This case involves large-scale financial irregularities, with the scam amount now pegged at ₹3,200 crore in the charge sheet — a sharp increase from the initially reported ₹2,000 crore.

🚨 Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's son ARRESTED in a massive liquor scam case!

While arrests keep happening, the real question remains…

📌 Why the delay in speedy trials & convictions?
PC: @NewsX pic.twitter.com/etXgFCtAbb

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) July 18, 2025

The then Excise Minister of Chhattisgarh, Kawasi Lakhma, has already been arrested in connection with this case. It is alleged that between 2019 and 2022, massive bribes were collected from liquor manufacturers. Although the liquor was purchased by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation, the state government earned nothing from it. Chaitanya Baghel and other accused are alleged to have embezzled the entire amount.

So far, the ED has attached assets worth ₹205 crore in this ongoing investigation.

Editorial Perspective

Although many individuals have been arrested in various scams and corruption cases, it is equally true that due to delays in prosecution and lack of swift legal action, the guilty often go unpunished for years. This weakens public faith in the justice system and emboldens the corrupt. The judiciary and investigative agencies must act promptly and decisively in such cases to set a strong precedent.