Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: Former Minister Lakhma to Appear in Court Today

Raipur
Former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, currently in judicial remand at Raipur jail in connection with the Chhattisgarh liquor scam case, will be presented in ED court today, Tuesday. The 14-day remand for the Congress MLA ends today.
The ED will request the court to extend Lakhma’s judicial remand during the hearing.
Simultaneously, Lakhma’s anticipatory bail plea, filed in the EOW special court, will also be heard. Lakhma’s lawyer filed the application fearing arrest by the EOW team, which is also investigating the liquor scam along with the ED. The hearing, initially scheduled for Monday, was postponed to Tuesday at the request of both parties’ lawyers.
Key Points:
- Judicial Remand: Lakhma was sent to judicial remand on January 21st after 7 days of ED remand.
- ED Allegations: The ED claims Lakhma was a key member of the liquor syndicate and instrumental in changing the state’s liquor policy, leading to the introduction of FL-10 licenses.
- Financial Misconduct: The ED alleges Lakhma received ₹2 crore per month during the 3-year scam, totaling ₹72 crores, which were used for his son’s house construction and a Congress building in Sukma.
- Loss to State Exchequer: The ED claims the liquor scam caused significant losses to the state treasury, with illegal earnings exceeding ₹2,100 crores for the liquor syndicate.
Modus Operandi of the Scam:
The ED’s investigation revealed that the liquor syndicate, involving Anwar Dhebar, Anil Tuteja, and others, operated in Chhattisgarh between 2019 and 2022. The illegal activities included:
- Commission: Distillers were bribed for each ‘case’ of liquor purchased by the state body, CSMCL.
- Illicit Liquor Sales: Unaccounted ‘kacchi’ country liquor was sold through government shops, with proceeds pocketed by the syndicate.
- Commission: Bribes were taken from liquor manufacturers for cartel formation and market share allocation. Commissions were also collected from FL-10A license holders involved in foreign liquor sales.