Raipur. Asal Baat news. Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, has conducted simultaneous search operations under Section ...
Raipur.
Asal Baat news.
Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, has conducted simultaneous search operations under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in connection with the ongoing investigation into Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam. A total of 13 premises were covered across Raipur, Durg/Bhilai, and Bilaspur districts of Chhattisgarh. The premises searched pertained to liquor traders, Chartered Accountants, businesspersons and corporate entities suspected to have received, handled, layered, or concealed Proceeds of Crime generated through the said scam.
During the course of searches, incriminating cash and valuables were seized. Cash amounting to Rs. 53 Lakh and gold jewellery/bullion weighing approximately 3.234 kg(approximate value Rs. 4.86 Crore) were seized, taking the total seizure to approximately Rs. 5.39 Crore. In addition, incriminating documents and digital devices/data were also recovered, which are presently being analysed.
ED is investigating the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam under PMLA, 2002 on the basis of predicate FIRs registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW)/Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Raipur. The investigation has revealed a systematic and well-organised criminal conspiracy involving political executives, senior bureaucrats, liquor distillers, FL-10A licensees and their associates, for the extortion of illegal commissions in the procurement, licensing and sale of liquor in the State of Chhattisgarh during the period 2019–2022. So , the total Proceeds of Crime generated through the scam have been quantified at approximately Rs. 2,883 Crore by the EOW/ACB in their chargesheets.
In the course of investigation, the ED has arrested 9 persons under Section 19 of PMLA, 2002 till date including a retired IAS officer, the then MD of CSMCL, the then Excise Commissioner, the then Excise Minister, son of the then Chief Minister, and the then Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister among others.
The investigation has proceeded along multiple lines, covering distillers, cash handlers, hawala conduits, FL-10A licensees and 5 of PMLA, 2002, attaching movable and immovable properties involved in money laundering to the tune of approximately Rs. 380 Crore. The attached properties include residential and commercial real estate, bank balances, vehicles, jewellery and Shares and belong to various accused persons and their benami entities.
The Adjudicating Authority, PMLA, New Delhi has confirmed attachments in multiple instances.The ED has also filed Six Prosecution Complaints before the Special Court for PMLA Cases, Raipur, naming 81 accused persons and entities. The matters are being actively contested at the level of the Special Court, the High Court of Chhattisgarh and the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
The present search operations have yielded further incriminating evidence, and further action in terms of attachment, Prosecution Complaints, and other proceedings under PMLA shall be taken as warranted by law.
Further investigation is under progress.
Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Raipur Zonal Office has conducted search operations under Section 17 of the PMLA, 2002 on 28.04.2026 at 8 premises located at Abhanpur, Raipur, Dhamtari and Kurud in the State of Chhattisgarh in connection with illegal receipt of compensation for land acquisition for the Raipur–Visakhapatnam
Highway Project under the Bharatmala Scheme. During the search operations, Indian currency amounting to Rs. 66.9 Lakh, silver bricks and other silver items weighing 37.13 kg, digital devices and various incriminating documents were seized.
ED initiated investigation under PMLA, 2002 based on the FIR registered by the ACB/EOW, Raipur against Nirbhay Sahu, the then SDO (Revenue), Abhanpur,
Raipur and others under various Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and IPC, 1860. The FIR alleged that illegal compensation was obtained by accused persons in collusion with government officials by falsification and manipulation of official land records relating to acquisition of land for the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Highway Project.
ED investigation revealed that the accused persons, in criminal conspiracy with certain public servants and other persons, fraudulently obtained excess compensation by deliberately transferring ownership of land even after issuance of notification under Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956 by NHAI, Raipur, and by creating multiple smaller land holdings prior to issuance of notification under Section 3D. It was further revealed that compensation was sanctioned and disbursed based on modified/manipulated Khasra records, resulting in inflated compensation payments.
The excess compensation so received constitutes Proceeds of Crime, causing wrongful loss to the Government exchequer and corresponding unlawful gain to the accused persons.
Further investigation is under progress.
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