Raipur
The Supreme Court has refused to grant relief to former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and his son, Chaitanya Baghel, in cases being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court has advised them to approach the High Court with their pleas for anticipatory bail.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joy-Malya Bagchi heard two separate petitions filed by Bhupesh Baghel seeking anticipatory bail. The court declined to hear one of the petitions and has scheduled the other for hearing on August 6.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court raised questions about the petitions. The bench said that influential people often approach the Supreme Court directly. “If we hear all such cases, what are the other courts for?” the bench questioned, adding, “What space will be left for the common man and lawyers if this continues?”
Chaitanya’s judicial remand extended
In a related development, Chaitanya Baghel, who is in Raipur jail in connection with alleged Rs 2,100 crore liquor scam, has had his judicial remand extended by 14 days. He was produced before a special ED court on Monday after his previous remand ended. The court has sent him back to jail until August 18.
Bhupesh Baghel is also under the scanner of the ED, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged liquor scam, the coal scam, and the Mahadev betting app case. Bhupesh Baghel has said that he believes he is being targeted out of political animosity, a sentiment he also expressed in his anticipatory bail pleas.
His son, Chaitanya Baghel, was arrested by the ED on July 18 in connection with the liquor scam. He has also challenged his arrest in the Supreme Court while seeking anticipatory bail to avoid arrest by the EOW. His legal team has called the ED’s allegations baseless.
A lawyer representing Chaitanya Baghel said the ED claimed Chaitanya took an interest-free loan of Rs 5 crore from a jeweller. The lawyer stated that the ED has had documents since February 2025 that prove Chaitanya repaid the loan with interest.
The ED had earlier raided Bhupesh Baghel’s house in Bhilai and several other locations. Following this, the CBI also conducted searches at his and his former officers’ residences in connection with the Mahadev betting app case.
