New Delhi, June 17: The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea to revoke the bail granted to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in the high-profile liquor scam case. The hearing was delayed after the ED requested additional time.
During the proceedings, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice V. Mohan expressed their displeasure over the ED’s request for a delay. The bench remarked, “First, they ask to list the case, and then they seek a postponement. We read the files for hours overnight.”
The ED has challenged the Chhattisgarh High Court’s order in the Supreme Court, which granted bail to Chaitanya Baghel under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the alleged liquor scam.
In January of this year, a single-judge bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court, presided over by Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, granted bail to Chaitanya Baghel. The ED had arrested him in July 2025 during the investigation into the alleged liquor scam that took place between 2019 and 2023.
The High Court noted that there were no allegations against Chaitanya Baghel regarding holding any official or statutory position in the excise department or state liquor corporations. The court also stated that the charges against him were primarily based on statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA and alleged connections with other accused individuals.
The High Court concluded that Chaitanya Baghel’s involvement was largely based on conjecture and circumstantial evidence, and there was no clear accusation of direct criminal activity against him. The court further mentioned that the likelihood of a swift trial was low, and prolonged detention would undermine the constitutional presumption of innocence.
On the other hand, the ED alleges that Chaitanya Baghel played a significant role in the alleged liquor syndicate and managed approximately ₹1,000 crore obtained from criminal activities. According to the agency, the scam involved illegal commissions on liquor sales, unaccounted liquor production, and embezzlement of excise revenue, causing substantial losses to the state’s treasury.
The investigation into this alleged multi-crore liquor scam is being conducted by the ED, along with the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Economic Offenses Wing (ACB/EOW). Chargesheets and prosecution complaints have already been filed against several politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen involved in the case.
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