The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday raided premises linked to at least eight ruling Congress leaders and office bearers in Chhattisgarh in a money laundering case linked to the alleged illegal levies on coal.
The raids came days before the 85th plenary of the Congress’s central decision-making body is due to be held in Raipur from February 24 to 26. Over 15,000 delegates will join the plenary to discuss the political situation, economy, foreign policy, agriculture, employment, social justice, etc, and set the tone for the Congress’s 2024 national poll campaign.
The ED conducted searches in the state capital of Raipur and Durg. “Premises of some senior leaders, spokespersons, and a legislator have been raided and more details are awaited,” said a police official, who did not want to be named.
People aware of the matter said chief minister Bhupesh Baghel called an emergency meeting to discuss the raids.
The ED has alleged a cartel of bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians, and middlemen imposed illegal levies of ₹25 per tonne on coal transported in the state.
The ED told a court that the cartel was allegedly running a “parallel system of extorting illegal levy” and generating about ₹2-3 crore daily.
{{/usCountry}}The ED told a court that the cartel was allegedly running a “parallel system of extorting illegal levy” and generating about ₹2-3 crore daily.
{{/usCountry}}On October 11, the agency arrested three people including Indian Administrative Service officer Sameer Vishnoi and businessman Sunil Agrawal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the case. Businessman and alleged kingpin Suryakant Tiwari is among others arrested in the case.
On December 2, ED arrested Baghel’s deputy secretary Saumya Chaurasia. It alleged Chaurasia’s WhatsApp chats showed she was sharing all the government’s confidential information with Tiwari.
In New Delhi, Congress leader Pawan Khera hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the raids and said ED now stands for “eliminating democracy” or “exterminating democracy”. He added the BJP unleashes raids on parties for political gains.
Khera said around 95% of ED’s raids since 2014 when BJP came to power at the Centre targeted the opposition. He added Congress has been at the receiving end of raids 24 times since 2014.
Khera challenged the government to conduct raids against BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari, BS Yediyurappa, Narayan Rane, and Himanta Biswa Sarma, who have cases pending against them.
Khera questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the allegations US short-seller Hindenburg Research has leveled against the Adani Group. “Why is not he investigating?”
Congress Member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh said the ED was raiding their colleagues in Chhattisgarh at Modi’s behest. “Five or six of our very senior colleagues have been raided since morning.”
Ramesh accused the government of using the ED as a tool to target the opposition party. “This clearly is the politics of vendetta, vengeance, harassment...”
He linked the raids to their plenary in Raipur. “We are not afraid or intimidated and certainly do not have anything to hide. Modi’s policy is fear, deceit, and intimidation; this is his real policy.”
He said Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra bought about a transformation in politics and its success has shaken the government.