ED Arrests Former Chhattisgarh Minister Kawasi Lakhma In Rs 2,161 Cr Liquor 'Scam'

The agency has also alleged that the Congress MLA was the main recipient of proceeds of crime in cash when he was the excise minister in the previous Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 15 Jan 2025 05:21 PM (IST)

Former Chhattisgarh Minister and Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma.
Source : PTI

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested former Chhattisgarh excise minister and incumbent Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma in an alleged liquor ‘scam’.

ED alleged on Monday that Lakhma used to "receive" a substantial amount in cash on a monthly basis out of the crime proceeds generated from the alleged liquor scam, which is estimated to be around Rs 2,161 crore. 

The agency also alleged that the Congress MLA was the main recipient of proceeds of crime in cash when he was the excise minister in the previous Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh. The probe conducted by the ED into the ' liquor scam', which allegedly ran for three years between 2019-2022, revealed that the proceeds of the crime were generated as illegal commissions in multiple ways, news agency ANI reported.

The ED further claimed that the bribe was collected from distillers on per ' liquor case' basis. These cases were procured by the state body for the purchase and sale of liquor called the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited.

Another way to generate the illegal money, as claimed by the agency, was sale of unaccounted "kacha off-the-books" country liquor. "In this case, not even a single rupee reached the State Exchequer, and all the sale proceeds were pocketed by the syndicate. The illegal liquor was sold from state-run shops only," ANI quoted ED as saying.

"Bribes are taken from distillers to allow them to make a cartel and have fixed market share, and holders who were introduced to earn in foreign liquor segment also," the ED added.

The revelations were made by the ED two days after the Raipur unit raided seven premises situated in Raipur, Sukma, and Dhamtari districts under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2022, in connection with the 'liquor scam'.

The ED raided Lakhma's residential premises on December 28 last year, along with those of his son Harish Lakhma and other associates.

The former Excise Minister was then called for questioning at the ED office in Raipur on January 3, after the searches at his premies led to evidence linking him to the alleged scam.

As per the ANI report, the agency found multiple digital devices containing incriminating records. The evidence also showed that Lakhma used the crime proceeds in cash during the relevant period.

So far, five individuals have already been arrested and an attachment order worth Rs 205 crore has been issued. The special PMLA court in Raipur has taken cognisance of the matter and a prosecution complaint along with two supplementary charge sheets has been filed before it.

Kawasi Lakhma had won the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections from the Konta seat with 32,776 votes, defeating BJP's Dhaniram Barse.

Published at : 15 Jan 2025 05:21 PM (IST)
Tags :
Enforcement Directorate Liquor Scam Raipur CONGRESS CHHATTISGARH

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