The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made another arrest in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam. ED’s Raipur zonal team has arrested IAS officer Niranjan Das on Friday (December 19, 2025). After this, he was presented in the PMLA special court of the capital Raipur, where the court approved ED custody for three days.

ED had started this investigation on the basis of FIR registered by ACB/EOW Raipur. Investigation by police and investigative agencies revealed that the Chhattisgarh liquor scam caused huge loss to the state government. According to the investigation, this scam generated illegal earnings of more than Rs 2,500 crore, which was distributed to different people.

What was revealed in the agency’s investigation?

ED investigation also revealed that Niranjan Das received illegal money of about Rs 18 crore. Digital evidence, seized documents and written statements have made it clear that he was an active part of the liquor syndicate. The investigating agency says that their role in carrying out the scam was not limited to mere information, rather they were directly misusing the system.

A big revelation in the investigation was that Niranjan Das was deliberately given the additional charge of Excise Commissioner and Secretary of the Excise Department, so that the liquor scam could be run easily. The allegation is that he ignored his legal responsibilities and allowed open plunder of government revenue.

In return he used to get an amount of Rs 50 lakh every month. According to the ED, he used to instruct field officers to increase the sale of raw and unaccounted illicit liquor in their respective areas.

Role of IAS officer in illegal earning and money laundering

ED says that the role of Niranjan Das was not limited only to the original crime, but he also played an important role in laundering illegal earnings. It was because of him that such huge plunder of the state’s resources became possible.

Many accused arrested in the case

Niranjan Das is not the only accused in this case. ED has earlier arrested Anil Tuteja (former IAS), Arvind Singh, Trilok Singh Dhillon, Anwar Dhebar, Arun Pati Tripathi (ITS), Kawasi Lakhma (then Excise Minister and MLA), Chaitanya Baghel (son of former Chief Minister) and Soumya Chaurasia. ED has made it clear that the investigation is still going on and more big names related to this scam may come to light in the coming days.

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In Chhattisgarh, in the liquor scam of Rs 3200 crore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was raided at the house of former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. ED has arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of Bhupesh Baghel.

Who is Chaitanya Baghel?
Chaitanya Baghel is the son of former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel. Chaitanya is also associated with the Congress, but has not yet stepped into politics. He currently has no post. Between 2018 and 2023, when Bhupesh Baghel used to be the Chief Minister, Chaitanya Baghel was planning to enter politics, but then the Congress government did not return in the 2024 assembly elections.

In the Lok Sabha elections, when Bhupesh Baghel was given a ticket from Rajnandgaon seat by the Congress, there was speculation that Chaitanya would get a ticket on his assembly seat Patan. However, this could not happen after Bhupesh Baghel’s defeat. Earlier, Chaitanya Baghel was associated with real estate. Now family farming is being handled.

Why did ED target Chaitanya Baghel?
Former Excise Minister and Kota MLA Kavasi Lakhma has been arrested in the liquor scam case of Chhattisgarh. At the same time, the Enforcement Directorate has also taken action on the former IAS officer Anil Tuteja and former MD of Excise Department. The ED has allegedly found out that the money of the liquor scam has been invested in the property of Chaitanya Baghel and his close ones.

What is Chhattisgarh liquor scam?
During Bhupesh Baghel’s Chief Minister’s tenure (year 2018-23), a liquor scam of about Rs 3200 crore was revealed in Chhattisgarh. It was alleged that the officials bought property in the name of their relatives for hundreds of crores of scam. It was told in the charge sheet that the accused have sold 61 lakh illegal boxes of liquor.