Ex-Chhattisgarh minister Kawasi Lakhma sent to judicial custody in 'liquor scam'

Raipur, Jan 21 (PTI) A special court here on Tuesday sent Chhattisgarh Congress MLA and former minister Kawasi Lakhma to 14-day judicial custody in an alleged liquor scam.

The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court remanded the Congress leader to judicial custody till February 4, his counsel Faisal Rizvi said.

He was produced before the special PMLA court judge Atul Kumar Shrivastava after expiry of his six days of the custodial remand to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The central agency had arrested him on January 15.

Lakhma is a six-time MLA from the Konta assembly seat and has served as the excise minister in the Congress government led by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Following his arrest, the ED had said in a statement that Lakhma was aware of the complete affairs of the Excise Department, including liquor scam, yet he "did nothing" to stop an alleged liquor scam of more than Rs 2,100 crore that took place in the state during the previous government.

Lakhma played an important role in policy change which led to the introduction of FL-10A licence in the state of Chhattisgarh, the ED said.

The FL-10A licence of the Chhattisgarh government allowed license holders to earn in the foreign liquor segment.

The former minister was an integral part of the syndicate and actively assisted the syndicate by manoeuvering process and procedures as per their direction, it added.

The ED investigation revealed that Lakhma was receiving not less than Rs 2 crore per month out of proceeds of crime (POC) being generated out of the liquor scam, the agency has said.

The ED investigation revealed that the corruption in liquor scam which took place between 2019 and 2022 was resorted to in multiple ways, the probe agency said.

Retired IAS officer Anil Tuteja, former Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar's brother and businessman Anwar Dhebar, liquor baron Trilok Singh Dhillon, former Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corp Ltd (CSMCL) Arun Pati Tripathi and Arvind Singh are already in jail in the alleged liquor scam.

The central agency had on December 28 raided the properties of the former minister and his son in Raipur, Sukma and Dhamtari districts. It subsequently questioned Lakhma and his son. PTI COR NP

Source: PTI