Congress leader Ramgopal Agrawal has been accused by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of receiving a significant portion of illicit funds derived from the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam, estimated at approximately Rs 3,000 crore. His arrest occurred on August 11, following his failure to respond to multiple summons issued under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED alleges that the cash, purportedly from the crime proceeds, was delivered to Agrawal while he served as the Treasurer of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee. The agency claims that this delivery was orchestrated at the behest of Agrawal and facilitated through handlers connected to the syndicate.

In the agency’s statement, it was noted that the cash was handed over at Rajiv Bhawan, the then office of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee in Raipur. Agrawal reportedly provided vague responses during his questioning, which prompted action from the ED.

Details of the Investigation

The inquiry undertaken by the ED is rooted in a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Economic Offences Wing and Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) in Raipur. After the initial FIR, several charge sheets outlining allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery, and corruption within the state’s excise administration from 2019 to 2023 were subsequently filed.

According to the ED, a network of individuals, including former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, businessman Anwar Dhebar, and Arun Pati Tripathi, were pivotal in executing a large-scale scam that resulted in the generation of substantial illegal profits. These profits were calculated through various fraudulent practices, including commissions on both accounted and unaccounted liquor sales, as well as improper licensing arrangements.

Agrawal’s detention comes amidst ongoing investigations that have previously led to the ED attaching assets valued over Rs 1,000 crore tied to the case. This action followed multiple Provisional Attachment Orders (PAOs) issued under the PMLA targeting properties worth approximately Rs 200 crore.

Additional Developments in the Case

The ED’s investigations have also implicated several other key figures and entities in the liquor trade scandal. The agency has identified significant properties and assets associated with Dhebar and other individuals, alleging manipulation of state excise regulations and illicit financial activities during the investigation period.

Assets linked to Anwar Dhebar and fellow co-conspirators have been identified and seized. Among these are residential and commercial properties, with particular attention given to a hotel registered under Pacifica Hotels India Private Limited, which the ED suggests was funded through crime proceeds, amounting to around Rs 110 crore.

Furthermore, the ED has filed a sixth supplementary prosecution complaint naming additional defendants connected to the case. The complaint suggests that coercive measures were taken against several licensing companies to secure a substantial portion of their profits for the allegedly criminal syndicate.

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