New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth ₹61.20 crore belonging to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with its ongoing investigation into the state’s liquor scam, officials confirmed on Thursday.

According to the ED, the attached assets include 364 immovable properties, comprising residential plots and agricultural land valued at ₹59.96 crore, alongside movable assets such as bank balances and fixed deposits worth ₹1.24 crore. The action follows investigations initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stemming from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW), Raipur, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, relating to alleged irregularities in the state liquor sector.

The ED statement highlighted that the Chhattisgarh liquor scam caused a massive loss to the state exchequer, while funneling over ₹2,500 crore in illicit gains to the beneficiaries involved in the scheme. The investigation revealed that Chaitanya Baghel occupied a central position at the “apex” of the liquor syndicate, leveraging his position as the Chief Minister’s son to exercise ultimate control over the operations.

According to the agency, Baghel was responsible for maintaining records of all illicit funds collected by the syndicate and for making key decisions related to the collection, channelisation, and distribution of the proceeds. The ED further alleged that Chaitanya Baghel received substantial proceeds of crime, which he attempted to layer through his real estate business, presenting them as legitimate assets.

Specifically, the agency pointed to his proprietorship firm, Baghel Developers, and the real estate project “Vitthal Green”, which was allegedly funded using the proceeds generated from the liquor scam.

Chaitanya Baghel was arrested by the ED on July 18, 2025, and is currently in judicial custody. Earlier, the agency had arrested Anil Tuteja, Arvind Singh, Trilok Singh Dhillon, Anwar Dhebar, Arun Pati Tripathi, and Kawasi Lakhmain connection with the same case.

The provisional attachment of ₹61.20 crore marks a continuation of previous actions, including the attachment of immovable properties valued at approximately ₹215 crore. The ED has emphasized that these measures aim to prevent the dissipation of assets derived from proceeds of crime and are part of a broader effort to ensure accountability and restitution in connection with the Chhattisgarh liquor scam.

This latest development underscores the central role played by Chaitanya Baghel in the alleged syndicate and reflects the ED’s ongoing commitment to pursuing high-profile cases under the PMLA, particularly those involving political figures or their family members.

The case continues to be investigated intensively, with authorities seeking to unravel the full extent of the financial network underpinning the alleged scam and to ensure that all proceeds of crime are traced, frozen, and attached in accordance with law.