Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam': ACB/EOW raids 13 places linked to aides of Cong MLA Lakhma

Raipur, May 17 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offence Wing (EOW) on Saturday conducted raids at 13 locations across the state in connection with an alleged liquor scam and recovered Rs 19 lakh, officials said.The money was recovered from the premises of close aides of Congress MLA and former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, who is in Raipur central jail following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in January this year in connection with alleged liquor scam, they added.

Lakhma (71) is a six-time MLA from Konta in Sukma district and was the excise minister in the previous Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel.

Thirteen teams of the ACB/EOW conducted raids at 13 places in Raipur, Jagdalpur (Bastar), Ambikapur (Surguja), Dantewada and Sukma districts connected to persons allegedly linked to Lakhma, the ACB official said.

"The action was taken based on inputs that suggested Lakhma had allegedly kept the illegal money with his close aides, friends, partners and has also made investment through them," the official added.

During raids, Rs 19 lakh cash, important documents related to the case, mobile phones, electronic devices, documents related to several bank accounts and investments in land have been seized from the residences and other places of the suspects, he said.

As per the Enforcement Directorate, the alleged liquor scam was orchestrated between 2019-22 when Chhattisgarh was ruled by the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government. Lakhma was the excise minister then.

The Chhattisgarh liquor scam resulted in massive loss to the state exchequer, while those involved in it made Rs 2,100 crore, the agency had said earlier.

The syndicate involved in it comprises senior bureaucrats, politicians and their associates as well as officials of the state excise department, it had said. PTI TKP BNM