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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the opposition Congress, accusing it of large-scale corruption during its tenure, in connection with the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam.
Speaking to the media, CM Sai asserted that central and state agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the case, and assured that strict action will be taken against those found guilty. "For the entire 5 years, they have done corruption. Now, central and state agencies are investigating it, and action will definitely be taken against the culprits. If they feel that injustice is being done to them, then they can definitely go to court. And what can they do? They can do this only because they are in the opposition," he said. This comes after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office provisionally attached three immovable properties worth Rs 6.15 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam case. According to the ED, Congress Bhawan, Sukma, residential house at Raipur in the name of Kawasi Lakhma and residential house at Sukma in the name of Harish Kawasi (son of Kawasi Lakhma) have been attached. In a statement, ED initiated an investigation based on the FIR registered by the ACB/EOW Chhattisgarh under various sections of the IPC, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, regarding the liquor scam in Chhattisgarh. ED investigation revealed that Kawasi Lakhma, the then Excise Minister of Chhattisgarh, was receiving Rs 2 crore per month out of the liquor scam, receiving POC Rs 72 crore in 36 months. As per the official statement, the investigation led to the seizure of crucial pieces of evidence, which demonstrated Kawasi Lakhmain's utilisation of cash in the construction of the properties mentioned above. Rs 68 lakh was employed in the construction of Congress Bhawan, Sukma; Rs 1.40 crore was utilised in the construction of the house of Harish Lakhma, and Rs 2.24 crore was utilised in the construction of his own house at Raipur. Kawasi Lakhma is presently under judicial custody. ED investigation revealed that the corruption in the liquor scam, which ran between 2019 and 2022, resulted in a massive loss to the state exchequer and generation of more than Rs 2161 crore worth of POC by commission of predicate offences, as per the release. It is pertinent to mention here that the said attachment continues the previous attachment of immovable properties having a value of nearly Rs 205 crore. Further investigation is in progress. (ANI)
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