‘Raids will increase as polls approach’: Bhupesh Baghel on ED raids across Chhattisgarh

New Delhi: Amid raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on offices of senior politicians and businessmen affiliated to the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday stating that the party was misusing agencies like the ED, the I-T department and the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to frighten people and that these things were bound to increase as elections approached.

“The BJP is misusing agencies like ED, I-T, DRI to scare people and these things will increase as elections come nearer. The raids across Chhattisgarh are an act of intimidation,” Baghel told news agency ANI.

He further added that the opposition BJP in Chhattisgarh was not being able to take on the Congress in a direct contest and therefore was trying to intimidate politicians of the ruling Congress via Central agencies like the ED, CBI, DRI among others.

“I have already said that they will come again and it’s not the last time. Their visits will increase as the election approaches. This is just an act of intimidation and nothing else,” he pointed out.

Teams of ED officials carried out raids in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Korba and other districts. The ED officials are allegedly investigating a disproportionate assets case. A district collector, former MLAs, a district Congress chief and a few IAS officers known to be close to CM Baghel are apparently under the scanner of the Central agencies.

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly are scheduled to be held in November 2023. The BJP is looking at wresting power from the ruling Congress in the next assembly polls since Chhattisgarh is one of the few states where the Congress has a majority in the assembly and at the same time is riddled with in-fighting among top Congress leaders TS Singh Deo and CM Baghel.

Chhattisgarh Congress communication cell chief Sushil Anand Shukla on Tuesday indicated that he had an apprehension that the BJP would misuse central agencies in the state as it was unable to fight a political battle with the ruling party. Shukla also recalled that the chief minister had earlier warned that raids by federal agencies may take place in the state as it inched towards assembly polls next year.

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