New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at the premises of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s political advisor and an Officer on Special Duty (OSD). The exact case in connection with which the raids were conducted was not yet known. Reacting to the ED’s action, Baghel, who turned 62 on Wednesday, said that this is a ‘priceless birthday gift’ from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Respected Prime Minister and Mr Amit Shah! Thank you very much for the priceless gift you have given me on my birthday by sending ED to my political advisor, OSD and close aides,” the Congress leader said in a post in Hindi on X, formerly known as Twitter.
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री जी एवं श्री अमित शाह जी!
मेरे जन्मदिन के दिन आज आपने मेरे राजनीतिक सलाहकार एवं मेरे OSD सहित करीबियों के यहाँ ED भेजकर जो अमूल्य तोहफा दिया है, इसके लिए बहुत आभार.
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) August 23, 2023
The searches were reportedly conducted at CM Baghel’s political advisor Vinod Verma’s residence in the Officers Colony at Devendra Nagar in the state capital Raipur and the houses of OSDs Ashish Verma and Manish Banchhor in the old Bhilai area of Durg.
Banchhor, who is an employee of SAIL’s Bhilai Steel Plant, is posted as the CM’s OSD on deputation.
Security personnel were also seen outside the house of businessman Vijay Bhatia in the Nehrunagar area of Bhilai in Durg.
The ED has been investigating different cases in Chhattisgarh pertaining to an alleged coal scam, liquor scam, irregularities in the District Mineral Foundation fund and an online betting application.
In the last two days, the ED also conducted searches at several locations in Raipur and Durg, apparently in connection with online betting activities.
Earlier in December last year, the law enforcement agency arrested Saumya Chaurasia, a state cadre officer who was posted as deputy secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, in connection with its investigation into the alleged coal scam in which, as per the agency, an ‘illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen.’
Two IAS officers Sameer Vishnoi and Ranu Sahu are also among others arrested in the coal levy case.
Such ‘cheap tactics’ won’t work: Congress slams BJP after ED searches
The Congress on Wednesday said the Enforcement Directorate raids in Chhattisgarh were a reaction to the pre-poll surveys predicting a ‘massive rout’ for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and asserted that its government would not get bogged down by such ‘threats’ and ‘cheap tactics’.
Condemning the raids, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal alleged that the BJP was deploying its ‘dirtiest tricks’ to intimidate Congress.
“Strongly condemn the ED raids on the staff members of Chhattisgarh CM Sh. Bhupesh Baghel ji. Completely out of the race in the upcoming elections, the BJP is trying its dirtiest tricks to intimidate and rattle the Congress. However, we have the support of 3 crore Chhattisgarhis and such cheap tactics will not affect us, but they only show the BJP’s desperation,” Venugopal said.
Reacting to the development, Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, “The ongoing ED raids in Chattisgarh are a clear reaction to all the pre-poll surveys that have predicted a massive rout for the BJP.”
“Our pro-people Congress government will not get bogged down by such threats. We have the power of the people behind us,” Khera added.
