ED raids ex-Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's Bhilai house

The ED has not officially disclosed the case under which the raid was carried out.

Updated on: Jul 18, 2025, 09:12:18 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at the Bhilai residence of former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, officials aware of the details said.

Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel (ANI)

The ED has not officially disclosed the case under which the raid was carried out.

Baghel’s office linked the timing of the action to a political development, claiming the ED was sent just hours before the Congress was set to raise the issue of large-scale tree felling in Raigarh’s Tamnar tehsil on the last day of the monsoon session of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly.

In a post on Baghel’s official ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) account, his office said, “Today is the last day of the assembly session. The issue of trees being cut for Adani in Tamnar was to be raised. Saheb has sent ED to Bhilai Niwas.”

Baghel shares his Bhilai residence with his son Chaitanya Baghel. The central probe agency conducted similar raids against Chaitanya Baghel regarding a money laundering case linked to the alleged liquor scam in March this year.

The ED earlier said Chaitanya Baghel was suspected of being the "recipient" of the proceeds of crime from the alleged liquor scam.

It has been said that the Chhattisgarh liquor "scam" resulted in a "massive loss" to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of a liquor syndicate with more than ₹2,100 crore of proceeds of crime.

Bhupesh Baghel's house was also raided by CBI in another case

The ED raids in the alleged liquor scam case are not Bhupesh Baghel's only run-in with central probe agencies. He was also raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Mahadev betting app case back in March.

Baghel alleged that the raid was politically motivated, suggesting that it was orchestrated to provide content for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech ahead of his visit on March 30.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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