In a major development in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable assets worth ₹6.15 crore, allegedly linked to former state Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma. The properties, located in Raipur and Sukma, are believed to have been built using illicit funds generated through the scam. The ED’s probe, which traces a staggering trail of corruption worth over ₹2161 crore, continues to unravel deep-rooted irregularities in the state’s liquor trade.
Properties linked to illicit gains
According to a statement released by the ED, three properties have been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA): Congress Bhawan in Sukma, a residential house in Raipur registered under Kawasi Lakhma, and another residential house in Sukma under his son Harish Kawasi’s name. The agency claims that these properties were either directly or indirectly constructed using proceeds of crime generated through a long-running illicit liquor distribution network in the state.
The investigation is based on an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing of Chhattisgarh under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The ED alleges that Kawasi Lakhma received ₹2 crore per month during his tenure as Excise Minister between 2019 and 2022, amounting to ₹72 crore over 36 months.
Detailed financial breakdown and ongoing investigation
As per ED findings, ₹68 lakh was spent on constructing Congress Bhawan in Sukma, ₹1.40 crore on the house built for Harish Kawasi, and ₹2.24 crore on Kawasi Lakhma’s own residence in Raipur. The agency has gathered material evidence indicating that cash from the scam was funnelled into these construction projects.
The total scam, spanning from 2019 to 2022, allegedly resulted in a loss of over ₹2161 crore to the state exchequer. This latest attachment follows previous action where properties worth nearly ₹205 crore were seized. Kawasi Lakhma is currently under judicial custody, and the ED stated that further investigations into the broader corruption network remain underway.
