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Two Delhi ministers, including the then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, are in jail courtesy the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged liquor scam for which the agency has not produced a shred of evidence. Several Congressmen in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh, etc, have changed sides fearing ED raids and exposure, but there is one state and its Congress leadership targeted by the ED for the past two years which has remained steadfastly beyond its tentacles. Chhattisgarh and its chief minister Bhupesh Baghel are living examples of how to beat the ED and still manage to win

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Bupesh Baghel

By Neeraj Mishra

There is more than meets the eye in the failure of searches and seizures in the Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam (Delhi in comparison is a mere Rs 100 crore) and alleged mining scam in Chhattisgarh. The Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department have been operating relentlessly in the state for the past two years with the prime target being Bhupesh Baghel, euphemistically mentioned as “highest political authority” in its chargesheets. But till date, not only have the two government agencies miserably failed despite attaching properties worth over Rs 1,200 crore, but are now actually scraping the bottom of the barrel arresting and invading minor rice millers.

The major accused have all got bail or prevention from arrest orders from the Supreme Court unlike Delhi ministers. Anwar Dhebar, an alleged kingpin in the excise and mining game and alleged money bag of Baghel, first obtained bail from the High Court and then got it confirmed from the Supreme Court. Anil Tuteja, now a retired IAS officer, could never be arrested despite several raids and he finally obtained a prevention from arrest orders, somehow akin to anticipatory bail. The ED raids had begun with much fanfare early in 2022, with the mining department as the main target. Mining Director Bishnoi, IAS, was arrested and is still behind bars. Then several small fry in the mining department were raided and arrested, but nothing led to Baghel. Finally Ranu Sahu, IAS, was also arrested and is still in jail.

Meanwhile, businessman Surya Tiwari and Baghel’s OSD Saumya Chaurasia were also picked up with allegations that they were close to Baghel and had some unexplained cash and properties. Later, several liquor barons and dealers were raided and arrested, but nothing came of it. This whole drama kept playing out over months with much fanfare. The local BJP kept praying that ED and IT will manage something that they have not been able to dislodge Baghel from his chair.

After almost a year it turned out in Tuteja’s case in the Supreme Court that the ED did not even have the basic legal rights to proceed in the excise case. For the ED to jump into any case with its PMLA, there has to be a predicate offence or a case registered in a thana or a court under relevant sections of the IPC. It had been proceeding on the basis of information provided by the IT department about some WhatsApp conversations between the accused. The Supreme Court dismissed the case though some accused continue to be in custody due to other charges. After the Supreme Court’s judgment, the ED rapidly registered a case of fraudulent 3D stickers provided to the Excise department by a Noida manufacturer in which it named amongst others, Tuteja, excise commissioner and some bottlers. The proceeds of fake liquor bottles sold as excise paid liquor was frowned upon by the Supreme Court as an afterthought. Though the Supreme Court itself is still lingering over the case as it has been for the past two years under three different chief justices.

What is most mysterious, however, is the ease with which Baghel and company have got away so far in the current atmosphere of raids and counter allegations. There are two logical conclusions that come to mind. First, all accused have stood by Baghel and have refused to name him as a collaborator or recipient of benefits under either the excise or mining scams. It shows how he has built loyalty over his tenure. He has also steadfastly refused to order enquiries against all the officers arrested by the ED though they have been suspended under the DOPT rules. The second theory is that Baghel has some backers with the BJP system and despite Amit Shah’s obvious dislike for him, he has continued to thrive.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Farooq Abdullah accuses PM Modi of trying to divide the country over religion

Faroukh Abdullah reacted to PM Modi’s remark that the Congress will redistribute people’s money and property to Muslims if voted to power and said Muslims respect all religions. He said that they are Muslims and Allah has told them to respect other religions. He further added that a Muslim cannot snatch anyone’s right.

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Farooq Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir’s National Conference President said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to divide the country over religion. He also said that those who will vote for them must prepare for hell. Farooq Abdullah said Muslims cannot snatch away the rights of others.

Farooq Abdullah also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government a threat to the survival of the country. Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister cautioned the people not to divide this country on the basis of religion, otherwise a storm will unleash making the survival of the nation difficult. He said it is better to talk about uniting the country, instead of dividing its people.

He was addressing an election rally in Thanamandi area of the Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. The Anantnag parliamentary constituency will go for elections on May 25. Faroukh Abdullah reacted to PM Modi’s remark that the Congress will redistribute people’s money and property to Muslims if voted to power and said Muslims respect all religions. He said that they are Muslims and Allah has told them to respect other religions. He further added that a Muslim cannot snatch anyone’s right.

He remembered an incident when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi once stopped his car in Pulwama and assured a poor Hindu woman that he would give her a mangalsutra as she could not afford it. Farooq Abdullah said those who were against the INDIA bloc are against the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier sparked a controversy last month as he commented that the Congress would take away the hard-earned money of the masses and distribute them among infiltrators and those with many children.  Speaking at a rally today, the Prime Minister took a jibe at the Congress and said the governments in the past were not able to implement the Indian Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir. He was referring to the revocation of Article 370.

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Amit Shah says BJP will neither remove reservation for SCs, STs and OBC, nor will allow Congress to do so

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress’ formula was to speak lies loudly, publicly and repetitively. He advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not to speak lies for a family as eventually he will have to take the blame for the party’s loss in the Lok Sabha elections

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday continued to attack Congress over reservation row. He was addressing a rally in Katghora town of Chhattisgarh’s Korba district to campaign for Saroj Pandey, BJP candidate from the Korba Lok Sabha seat where Shah said BJP will neither remove reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, nor will it allow Congress to do so.

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress’ formula was to speak lies loudly, publicly and repetitively. He advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not to speak lies for a family as eventually he will have to take the blame for the party’s loss in the Lok Sabha elections. Shah accused Congress of nurturing terrorism and Naxalism to win the Lok Sabha elections.

Shah further added that Congress claims if Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji gets majority for the third term, he will scrap reservation. He said the grand old party has even circulated his fake video. Shah said that have been in power for the last 10 years and PM Modi did not remove reservation, nor will he do it in the future.

The Union Home Minister further asserted Modi ji used the majority to scrap Article 370 and triple talaq, construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and introduce the Citizenship Amendment Act. He further told the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi do not belong to anyone. He said on June 4 Congress will suffer defeat and the brother-sister duo will remain safe, but Kharge ji will be blamed.

Shah further asserted if PM Modi becomes the prime minister for the 3rd straight term, then Naxalism will be uprooted in two years in Chhattisgarh.  Shah targeted the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led government in Chhattisgarh and said, The Bhupesh Kakka government encouraged Naxalism, but after the BJP came to power in the state under CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma 95 Naxalites have been eliminated in 4 months.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Priyanka Gandhi says PM Modi is far away from reality of common people, calls him an egoistic person

The Congress leader also alleged there was a mafia raj in BJP-ruled Assam. She said there have been very serious charges against Himanta Biswa Sarma when he was in the Congress party. As soon as he changed sides to BJP, all charges against him were dropped.

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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi was addressing a rally in Assam’s Dhubri on Wednesday where she said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not stop JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna from leaving India. She said PM Modi is far away from the reality of common people and has no understanding of their miseries as he has become egoistic.

This was not the first time that Priyanka Gandhi attacked PM Modi over the sex scandal. Earlier this week, she questioned PM Modi’s silence over the matter. Gandhi said Prajwal Revanna who stood along with PM Modi, for whom the prime minister asked for votes, has been accused of abusing thousands of women.  She added the numbers are staggering and asked Modi’s response over the matter. Gandhi said she was keen to hear what the Union home minister had to say on the matter.

Priyanka Gandhi recollected that a few days earlier she had travelled abroad to visit her daughter. She said the Prime Minister and Home Minister are constantly discussing her overseas trips. She said they are well aware about when she is going to travel and are even keeping track of opposition leaders’ travels. Yet, when an accused, someone like him Prajwal Revanna, leaves the country, they claim ignorance. How can anyone accept this? She said the matter has slipped away right under their noses after committing such a grave offence, and yet they remain silent.

The Congress leader also alleged there was a mafia raj in BJP-ruled Assam. She also attacked Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. She said there have been very serious charges against Himanta Biswa Sarma when he was in the Congress party. As soon as he changed sides to BJP, all charges against him were dropped. Gandhi further added the BJP has developed a washing machine where corrupt people are put and the Assam CM was the first one in this regard.

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