After his son’s arrest in the alleged liquor scam, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel lashed out at the ED and BJP, accusing the central agency of being a political wing with a strike rate below par. Citing the Supreme Court’s remarks against ED, Baghel claimed the agency is misused to target opposition and manipulate power in non-BJP states.
Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghle. Pic/File Pic
Days after former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister’s Son Chaitanya Baghel was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate, the Former CM and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel slammed the BJP on Tuesday morning. Bhupesh Baghel took a hit at the Enforcement Directorate (ED), labelling the investigation agency as a "wing" of the ruling party.
As reported by ANI, Bhupesh Baghel refers to the order issued by the Supreme Court of India slamming the Enforcement Directorate. The former Chhattisgarh CM asserted that the apex court’s statement was a "slap" for the central agency to be told to do its job.
While addressing the media about the incident, Bhupesh Baghle stated, "No remarks can be bigger than this. It is against the centre and ED. The way ED is working as a wing of the BJP... It is a slap that ED was told to do their work and let the politicians do their politics. However, the way the situation has developed nationwide, all these actions are being taken by targeting the people of the opposition."
The senior Congress leader went on to inform that ED's strike rate was not even one per cent. While accusing the central agency of "tarnishing the image of the opposition." He also alleged that the centre used such agencies to divide political parties and regain power in the states where their prominence is not significant.
Baghel further asserted that "A minister had replied in Rajya Sabha that they registered 193 cases against political leaders and could only get two convictions. This means that their strike rate is not even one per cent. It is being used and misused for politics. They themselves are unable to do anything, but are tarnishing the image of the opposition. Political parties have been divided by using such agencies."
The former Chief Minister’s remarks on the Enforcement Directorate came after the Supreme Court asked ED, "Why was it being used?"
The apex court on Monday dismissed appeals made by the ED seeking an investigation against his wife, BM Parvathi, in connection with alleged irregularities regarding illegal land allotments by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
Earlier, Baghel, while lighting up the political row over ED’s action on his son, also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The arrest of his son by the ED was in connection with the ongoing investigation into the alleged multi-crore liquor scam in Chhattisgarh.
He told the reporters that "PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah cannot tolerate anything against Adani. The day the ED arrested my son, we were protesting in the Vidhan Sabha on the issue of illegal cutting of trees by (Gautam) Adani," as cited by ANI.
Earlier, on July 18, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Chaitanya Baghel, the son of Bhupesh Baghel. The move comes after the agency seized Rs 30 lakh from the residence of Bhupesh Baghel and his son Chaitanya in March this year.
In the case of alleged irregularities in the liquor trade in Chhattisgarh, which involved suspected unlawful commissions and money laundering, the amount was recovered during a day-long search operation that was conducted at a total of 14 locations throughout the state by the ED.
ED has also asserted that Chaitanya Baghel, the son of Bhupesh Baghel, also possessed "recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam, wherein total proceeds of crime as per the ED amounted to around Rs 2,161 crore, which were syphoned off through various schemes.
(With ANI Inputs)
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