Protesters hurl stones at ED vehicles after raid at Bhupesh Baghel's home

Protesters pelted stones at Enforcement Directorate (ED) vehicles on Monday in Durg district of Chhattisgarh when its personnel were leaving after conducting a raid at the residence of Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, police said.

The stone pelting incident took place in the evening when Congress workers were protesting against the ED raid carried out as part of a money laundering investigation against Bhupesh Baghel's son, Chaitanya, in the alleged liquor scam case. "We have received a verbal complaint from ED officials that protesters tried to stop their vehicles and hurled stones, causing damage to the window pane of a vehicle", Durg Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla said. A case will be registered in this regard and further action will be taken accordingly, he said. The ED on Monday morning launched raided the premises of Bhupesh Baghel, who served as CM from 2018 to 2023, in Padum Nagar of Bhilai town in Durg district as part of a money laundering investigation against his son, Chaitanya, in the alleged liquor scam case, official sources said. The premises of an alleged close associate of Chaitanya Baghel, Laxmi Narayan Bansal alias Pappu Bansal, and some others were also searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. Chaitanya Baghel shares the Bhilai accommodation with his father and hence the premises were  covered during the search. He (Chaitanya Baghel) is suspected to be the "recipient" of the proceeds of crime of the liquor scam, they alleged. Congress leaders and workers gathered outside the residence of the Baghels and staged a protest against the ED action. Visuals from the spot showed that when ED officials accompanied by security personnel were moving out of the place in two cars, a group of protesters surrounded the vehicles and climbed on their bonnet. The protesters also hurled stones at the vehicles, leading to a scuffle with policemen.