Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: Ex-Minister, Son, and Congress Office Assets Worth ₹6 Crore Seized by ED
In a major development in the ongoing Chhattisgarh liquor scam investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties worth over ₹6 crore, including assets belonging to former state excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, his son Harish Lakhma, and even the Congress party office in Sukma.
According to official sources, assets worth ₹5.5 crore linked to Lakhma and his son have been frozen, along with property valued at ₹65 lakh associated with the Congress Bhawan in the Sukma district. This brings the total value of seized properties to ₹6.15 crore.
Kawasi Lakhma, who held the excise portfolio during the Congress-led government’s tenure under former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, is currently in jail along with his son. The ED is probing their alleged involvement in a massive ₹2,161 crore liquor scam, said to have occurred between 2019 and 2022.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the action. Sushil Anand Shukla, media in-charge for Chhattisgarh Congress, termed it a politically motivated vendetta driven by the Modi government. “The ED is working under pressure from the Centre. Congress Bhawans have existed since the pre-independence era, built with grassroots support. Can the ED dare to investigate the BJP’s ₹150 crore office?” he questioned.
On the other side of the political aisle, BJP spokesperson Kedar Gupta welcomed the ED’s move, calling it a landmark moment in India’s political history. “This is the first time a political party office has been seized for corruption,” Gupta said, alleging that the previous Congress regime fostered a deep nexus of corruption.
The ED alleges that the scam involved illegal commissions, cartelisation, and manipulation of liquor sales and distribution, using shell companies and intermediaries to move money. Kawasi Lakhma was arrested on January 15, following searches and multiple rounds of questioning that began in late December 2023.
The case continues to stir political debate, with the seizure of the Congress office raising serious questions about political funding, transparency, and the role of investigative agencies in a high-stakes election year.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
