Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is back in headlines, but this time, for personal reasons. His son, Chaitanya Baghel, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a liquor case. The arrest happened at their residence in Bhilai, just as Bhupesh was attending the last day of the Assembly’s monsoon session.
Chaitanya was picked up by ED officers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to reports, he was not cooperating during the raids, which were triggered by new evidence in the case. The officers arrested him under Section 19 of the anti-money laundering law.
It was also Chaitanya’s birthday. A large group of police officers surrounded their Bhilai home. Some Congress workers were also seen outside, shouting slogans. The scene was tense.
Bhupesh Baghel reacted sharply. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he pointed to the timing of the raid. “Today was the last day of the Assembly session. We were going to raise the issue of trees being cut in Tamnar for Adani’s coal mine. Instead, ED was sent to my home,” he said through his office’s account.
Just a few days ago, Bhupesh Baghel had visited Tamnar tehsil in Raigarh. He met villagers protesting against deforestation for a coal mining project linked to the Adani Group. He had promised to raise their voice in the Assembly.
But that never happened. As Bhupesh stood in the Assembly, his son was taken into custody.
The father and son live together in Bhilai. This allowed the ED to raid both their premises in one go. According to officials, the ED found fresh leads in the liquor case and acted quickly. The agency had been investigating money trails linked to the illegal liquor trade in Chhattisgarh for several months.
Many Congress supporters have accused the central government of misusing the ED to target opposition leaders. With state elections around the corner, the arrest of Bhupesh Baghel’s son is being seen by some as a political move.
The Congress party has yet to make an official statement, but insiders say they are planning a protest. The timing, the birthday, and the Assembly session—everything has raised eyebrows.
For now, Chaitanya remains in custody. His legal team is expected to move for bail soon. The ED has not yet released full details of the charges.
