The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted raids at the residences of Congress General Secretary and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in Raipur and Bhilai, linked to the ongoing probe into the Mahadev betting app case. The timing of the raids coincided with Baghel’s scheduled departure for a meeting at the Congress Headquarters in Delhi, where he was to participate in the “Drafting Committee” for the AICC meeting in Ahmedabad on April 8 and 9.
The Congress swiftly condemned the raids, with the party's state communication head, Sushil Anand Shukla, accusing the BJP of misusing central agencies to target political opponents. He argued that the BJP resorted to such tactics after Baghel became the Congress in-charge for Punjab, claiming the ruling party was "scared" of him. Shukla stated that the people of Chhattisgarh and the country were aware of the BJP's alleged "oppressive politics."
The CBI’s action comes shortly after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) intensified its investigations into the Mahadev Online Betting app case, seizing and freezing assets worth ₹2,295 crore. Earlier this month, on March 10, the ED raided 14 locations in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district — including the residences of Baghel and his son, Chaitanya Baghel — in connection with an alleged liquor scam. Following those raids, Baghel acknowledged that ₹33 lakh in cash was found at his home, asserting the money was from his farming, dairy income, and family savings.
The ED has alleged that beneficiaries of the liquor scam earned ₹2,100 crore in "proceeds of crime," causing a significant loss to the state exchequer. Baghel, however, has maintained that the raids are politically motivated, framing them as an attempt to weaken him and the Congress ahead of the party's crucial meetings and the upcoming elections.
