In a significant development in the ongoing money laundering probe in Chhattisgarh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth ₹6.15 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The properties include the Congress Bhavan in Sukma registered under the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee, the residence of former state Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma in Raipur, and another property owned by Lakhma’s son.
The ED’s action stems from large-scale corruption that allegedly occurred between 2019 and 2022, particularly in the procurement and distribution of liquor through the Chhattisgarh State Beverages Corporation. Investigations revealed that funds misappropriated from this scheme were laundered and used for constructing party infrastructure, including the Congress Bhavan in Sukma.
According to findings by national agencies, Kawasi Lakhma, who served as the state’s Excise Minister during the period, allegedly received kickbacks of around ₹2 crore monthly from liquor companies. This illicit income reportedly accumulated to approximately ₹72 crore. Lakhma, a senior Congress leader, is currently in judicial custody in connection with the case.
The ED had earlier seized assets worth ₹205 crore as part of the broader investigation. Reports indicate that the total value of the liquor scam exceeds ₹2,161 crore, causing substantial financial losses to the state exchequer.
The latest attachment is seen as a major step in tightening the probe into political corruption and illicit financial flows in Chhattisgarh
