In a significant update to the Chhattisgarh liquor scam saga, the Supreme Court on Monday deferred hearing a petition challenging the bail of Chaitanya Baghel, son of Congress leader and ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel. The court has set the next date two weeks from now, leaving the fate of his bail hanging in balance.
The petition contests the Chhattisgarh High Court’s decision to grant bail in two scam-related cases. During the brief hearing, the Chief Justice announced the postponement and permitted the state to submit any fresh updates or breakthroughs in the interim.
Unraveling since probes intensified post-2022 elections, the scam allegedly netted ₹3,000 crore illegally during the Congress regime. ED chargesheets highlight a nexus of officials, politicians, and liquor barons who rigged policies to siphon funds from state coffers.
Chaitanya’s bail came after he filed for protection against ED arrest. The agency’s latest complaint added 59 names, swelling the accused list to 81. This organized racket exploited liquor regulations, turning a state monopoly into a multimillion-crore fraud.
Political ramifications are stark. The BJP government, which unseated Congress in 2023, has used the scam to target opposition leaders. Bhupesh Baghel has dismissed the cases as vendetta politics, while ED insists on ironclad evidence of syndicate operations.
With the hearing deferred, investigations continue unabated. The Supreme Court’s intervention underscores the case’s national importance, potentially reshaping Chhattisgarh’s political landscape. Observers predict heated debates as new filings could tip the scales.
This pause in proceedings offers Chaitanya breathing room, but the scam’s tentacles—spanning policy tweaks, illicit trades, and high-level complicity—demand thorough judicial reckoning.