Chhattisgarh: ED Arrests Former Excise Minister Kawasi In Liquor Scam Case

The ex-Chhattisgarh minister Kawasi Lakhma was called for interrogation by the ED on Wednesday, which continued for four hours, and he was later apprehended.

Raipur: Former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged liquor scam case of Rs 2000 crore on Wednesday, sources said.

Kawasi was called for interrogation in the Pachpedi Naka area here at around 11 am and was later apprehended. The Congress MLA was later produced before the special court of Atul Kumar Srivastava after his medical examination. The court has remanded him to 7 days of judicial custody till January 21, sources added.

Previously, Lakhma was called for questioning by the ED team on January 9, which was continued for about eight hours. On December 28, the ED raided the hideouts of the former minister over the alleged liquor scam case. The ED in a statement had earlier claimed that Lakhma was the main recipient of the proceeds of crime in cash when he was the excise minister during the Congress regime.

The investigation agency further stated that Lakhma used to receive “substantial amounts in cash on a monthly basis out of the proceeds of crime generated from liquor scam”.

The ED also said that the alleged liquor scam in the state was orchestrated between 2019-22 when Chhattisgarh was ruled by the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government. Lakhma, a six-time MLA from Konta in the Sukma district, was the excise minister then.

"The Chhattisgarh liquor scam resulted in massive loss to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore illegal proceeds of crime," the agency had claimed earlier. (With PTI Inputs)

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