Chaitanya Baghel, Jailed In Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam, Walks Free After 168 Days

Raipur: Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, incarcerated in connection with liquor scam, walked out of prison after 168 days.

Bhupesh along with supporters of Chaitanya welcomed him outside the jail at Raipur. Chaitanya and his father and others departed directly for his residence in Bhilai 3 from the prison. Earlier, the Chhattisgarh High Court had granted bail to Chaitanya in two cases in connection with the liquor scam.

Chaitanya was arrested on July 18, 2025, on his birthday. After being granted bail by the High Court, he returned home on January 3, his son's birthday. Bhupesh said his son's arrest in the scam was a conspiracy and his release has restored his faith in law and the country's judicial process.

In a post on X sharing the photo of his son, Bhupesh Baghel wrote, "Rahul Ji Kehte hai daro mat! Nahi Darenge. (Rahul says not to fear! Will not gear)." In another post, he wrote, "When Chaitanya was arrested, a similar outpouring of support against the ED had taken place. Even today, comrades have come from every corner of the state; we see this as a victory for truth. The Modi government is suppressing the voices of opposition parties by misusing agencies like the ED, IT, CBI, and DRI; this case is a living example of this".

Speaking to the media in Bhilai 3, Chaitanya, said, "I'm back home today for my son's birthday. I was kept in a cell in jail, so I couldn't meet anyone inside. I spent most of my time in jail studying."

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Chaitanya for his alleged involvement in the scam. Besides Chaitanya, among those named in the 29,800 page chargesheet submitted by the ED on December 26, 2025, are former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma accused of giving policy assent and receiving proceeds of crime, former deputy secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office Saumya Chaurasia, an alleged key coordinator for handling illicit cash who managed appointments of compliant officers, and Anwar Dhebar (brother of Raipur mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar), the mastermind of the alleged scam.

Other key accused are former IAS officer Anil Tuteja (then Joint Secretary), Indian Telecom Service officer Arunpati Tripathi (then MD of CSMCL), and retired IAS officer Niranjan Das (then Excise Commissioner).

According to the ED, the liquor scam in the state occurred between 2019 and 2022, when the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel was in power in Chhattisgarh.

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