The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed proceeds of crime (POC) worth Rs 72 crore accumulated over a 36-month period (2019–2022), allegedly used to fund the construction of the Congress Bhawan in Sukma and former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma’s son Harish’s house.
The revelations come amid the agency’s probe into the Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam that reportedly flourished under the Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh.
ED lawyer Saurabh Pandey disclosed that Lakhma allegedly received monthly commissions of Rs 2 crore, with the funds linked directly to the illicit liquor syndicate. Following his questioning at the ED office in Raipur on Wednesday, Lakhma was arrested, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation.
The alleged use of ill-gotten funds to construct the Congress Bhawan has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage. According to reports, key accused Arunpati Tripathi and Arvind Singh revealed during interrogation that bribes were regularly routed to Lakhma with the facilitation of excise department officers Iqbal Khan and Jayant Devangan. The ED further stated that Tripathi managed the operations and ensured Lakhma’s involvement by obtaining his signatures on critical documents.
The BJP has seized the opportunity to lambast the Congress, accusing it of exploiting public funds for political gain. Senior BJP leader and Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap called the Congress Bhawan “a monument to corruption,” alleging that former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel masterminded the scam.
“This is not just about Kawasi Lakhma; it’s about a systemic plunder of public resources under Congress rule. The Sukma Congress Bhawan was built with funds meant for the people, and the ultimate beneficiaries were Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” Kashyap alleged.
Lakhma has denied the allegations, asserting his faith in the judicial system. His lawyer, Faizal Rizvi, questioned the ED’s evidence, noting that no significant cash was recovered during the raids. “If Rs 2 crore was being paid monthly, why wasn’t even a fraction of that found in Lakhma’s residence? The ED’s claims are inconsistent,” Rizvi said.
However, ED officials argue that the scam involved sophisticated methods, including duplicate holograms on liquor bottles, illegal commissions from distillers, and the sale of spurious country liquor, all orchestrated to siphon off public funds.
The allegations surrounding the Congress Bhawan and Lakhma’s son’s house have dealt a severe blow to the Congress in Chhattisgarh, especially in tribal-dominated Bastar, where Lakhma wields influence. The BJP has intensified its demands for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged involvement of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and other senior Congress leaders.