E-Paper
ED attaches ₹6.15 crore properties in Chhattisgarh liquor scam investigation
Linked to former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, evidence indicates he received ₹72 Cr. Total losses from the scam exceed ₹2,161 Cr, investigations continue.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, has provisionally attached three immovable properties worth ₹6.15 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam case, according to the release.
According to the ED, Congress Bhawan, Sukma, residential house at Raipur in the name of Kawasi Lakhma and residential house at Sukma in the name of Harish Kawasi (son of Kawasi Lakhma) have been attached.
In a statement, ED initiated an investigation based on the FIR registered by the ACB/EOW Chhattisgarh under various sections of IPC, 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 in the matter of liquor scam in Chhattisgarh.
ED investigation revealed that Kawasi Lakhma, the then Excise Minister of Chhattisgarh, was receiving ₹2 crore per month out of the liquor scam and thereby received POC ₹72 crore in 36 months.
As per the official statement, the investigation conducted led to the seizure of crucial pieces of evidence, which demonstrated the utilisation of cash by Kawasi Lakhmain in the construction of properties mentioned above.
₹68 lakh was employed in the construction of Congress Bhawan, Sukma; ₹1.40 crore was utilised in the construction of the house of Harish Lakhma, and ₹2.24 crore was utilised in the construction of his own house at Raipur.
Kawasi Lakhma is presently under judicial custody.
ED investigation revealed that the corruption in the liquor scam, which ran between 2019 and 2022, resulted in a massive loss to the state exchequer and generation of more than ₹2161 crore worth of POC by commission of predicate offences, as per the release.
It is pertinent to mention here that the said attachment continues the previous attachment of immovable properties having a value of nearly ₹205 crore.
Further investigation is in progress.
