Supreme Court To Hear Bhupesh Baghel’s Bail Plea In Liquor Scam On 4 July

The Supreme Court is set to hear the anticipatory bail petition of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on July 4.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi will preside over the case.

The court will also hear a separate bail plea filed by Baghel’s son, Chaitanya Baghel, on the same day.

In his petition, Bhupesh Baghel has questioned the authority of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe the cases in Chhattisgarh.

He argued that the state government had already withdrawn its general consent for such investigations, raising concerns over the legality of the ongoing inquiries.

Baghel’s plea seeks protection from arrest and requests the opportunity to cooperate with the investigation.

He alleged that the ED acted with political malice in arresting his son, Chaitanya, accusing him of taking a commission in the alleged liquor scam.

Baghel expressed fears of facing a similar fate. He claimed the investigations reflect political rivalry and retribution, not impartial law enforcement.

₹2,161 Crore Liquor Scam and Mahadev Betting App

The former Chief Minister and his son are under investigation in connection with the alleged ₹2,161 crore liquor scam.

In addition, the CBI has filed an FIR against Bhupesh Baghel in the Mahadev betting app case, where he is listed as the sixth accused.

The FIR names 21 individuals, including betting app promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal.

The CBI has conducted raids at 60 locations as part of the investigation.

The CBI has listed Shubham Soni, Anil Agarwal, and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel as accused alongside the app’s promoters.

Authorities arrested Ravi Uppal, one of the prime accused, in Dubai last year in connection with the case.

The case has drawn significant political attention, with Baghel alleging misuse of investigative agencies to target opposition leaders.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on the anticipatory bail pleas is expected to shape the ongoing investigations. It may also significantly impact Chhattisgarh’s political landscape.

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