Liquor Case: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister and sitting Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma in an alleged liquor ‘scam’. Let us inform that the ED had said on Monday that the senior Congress leader used to receive huge amount from the proceeds of crime generated from the alleged liquor scam, the estimated amount of which is around Rs 2,161 crore.
According to media reports, Kawasi Lakhma was the main recipient of the proceeds of crime in cash during his tenure as excise minister in the previous Congress government in the state. The ED investigation into the liquor scam (which allegedly took place between 2019 and 2022) revealed that commission was taken through various illegal means. Bribes were taken from distillers for each “case” of liquor purchased by Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), the state body responsible for the purchase and sale of liquor.
Illegal liquor was sold at government shops
The ED claimed that another way of making illegal profits was the sale of unaccounted “raw off-the-books” country liquor, none of the proceeds of which reached the state treasury and were instead pocketed by the syndicate. The ED said that illicit liquor was sold exclusively through government shops. The ED also said bribes were paid to liquor makers so that they could form a cartel with a certain market share and to people involved in the foreign liquor sector.
These revelations come two days after the ED’s Raipur unit conducted search operations at seven locations in Raipur, Dhamtari and Sukma districts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the liquor scam. On December 28, the ED raided the residential premises of six-time Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma, along with his son Harish Lakhma and other close associates.
Five people arrested so far
The search yielded evidence which showed that Kawasi Lakhma had used the proceeds of crime in cash during the relevant period. Several digital devices, which are suspected to contain records related to the crime, have also been seized. Earlier investigation had revealed that a liquor gang led by Anwar Dhebar, Anil Tuteja and others was active in Chhattisgarh.
Let us tell you that an order for attachment of Rs 205 crore has already been issued in this case. So far, five people have been arrested and two supplementary chargesheets have been filed along with the prosecution complaint. The special PMLA court of Raipur has already taken cognizance of the case.
