The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence of Congress leader Ram Gopal Agrawal and some other locations in Dhamtari in connection with a liquor case.
ED searches Ram Gopal Agrawal’s home days after arrest in alleged liquor trade case; Congress workers protest outside in Chhattisgarh.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a search at the Dhamtari home of Congress leader Ram Gopal Agrawal on Thursday, following his arrest in a money-laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the state's liquor trade. The search took place in the Audyogik Ward area of Dhamtari, where Agrawal was already in custody.
Opponents of the central government, including Dhamtari MLA Omkar Sahu, gathered outside the house in protest, raising slogans against the ED and the probe agency. Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Deepak Baij alleged that the ED and CBI were being used to intimidate opposition leaders, stating that such actions are becoming routine.
Agrawal was arrested last month by the state's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with the alleged liquor scam, coal levy scam, and rice custom milling cases. The ED has alleged a "criminal" syndicate involving senior bureaucrats and political figures had "completely hijacked" the state excise department, causing an estimated loss of ₹2,883 crore to the state exchequer.
The agency has filed six chargesheets and named 81 accused in the liquor scam case, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma and former Chhattisgarh excise commissioner Niranjan Das.
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