"ED investigating case, will take action after probe": Deputy CM Arun Sao on Chhattisgarh liquor scam

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 14 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao on Friday said that the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is probing the liquor scam worth over Rs 2,000 crore and that, based on the investigation, action will be taken against the accused in the case.
"In Chhattisgarh, a liquor scam of more than Rs 2 thousand crores was done by forming a criminal syndicate. The ED is investigating that case, and action is being taken based on facts found in the investigation," Arun Sao told ANI.
Asked about Congress party's reaction to the case, Arun Sao said, "In every action, Congress says the same thing, that the action is politically motivated."
This comes after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office provisionally attached three immovable properties worth Rs 6.15 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam case.
According to the ED, Congress Bhawan, Sukma, residential house at Raipur in the name of Kawasi Lakhma and residential house at Sukma in the name of Harish Kawasi (son of Kawasi Lakhma) have been attached.
In a statement, ED initiated an investigation based on the FIR registered by the ACB/EOW Chhattisgarh under various sections of the IPC, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, regarding the liquor scam in Chhattisgarh.
ED investigation revealed that Kawasi Lakhma, the then Excise Minister of Chhattisgarh, was receiving Rs 2 crore per month out of the liquor scam, receiving POC Rs 72 crore in 36 months.
As per the official statement, the investigation led to the seizure of crucial pieces of evidence, which demonstrated Kawasi Lakhmain's utilisation of cash in the construction of the properties mentioned above.
Rs 68 lakh was employed in the construction of Congress Bhawan, Sukma; Rs 1.40 crore was utilised in the construction of the house of Harish Lakhma, and Rs 2.24 crore was utilised in the construction of his own house at Raipur. Kawasi Lakhma is presently under judicial custody.
ED investigation revealed that the corruption in the liquor scam, which ran between 2019 and 2022, resulted in a massive loss to the state exchequer and generation of more than Rs 2161 crore worth of POC by commission of predicate offences, as per the release.
It is pertinent to mention here that the said attachment continues the previous attachment of immovable properties having a value of nearly Rs 205 crore.
Further investigation is in progress. (ANI)