The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths conducted raids at the residential premises of Chief Minister’s political advisor Vinod Verma, and his officers on special duty (OSD)s on Wednesday coincidently the date is also the birthday of Chief Minister Baghel.
Meanwhile, after the raids, the CM Bhupesh Baghel made a sarcastic comment on social media platform twitter in which he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for giving him the "priceless gift" on his birthday.
"Respected Prime Minister and Amit Shah! Thank you very much for the priceless gift you have given me on my birthday by sending ED to my political advisor, my OSD and my close friends’ homes, Baghel tweeted from his official handle.
ED's Targets: Residential Premises and More
As per the available information, ED officials searched CM’s political advisor Vinod Verma official residence situated in the Officers Colony at Devendra Nagar in the state capital Raipur. The central agency sleuths also raided the premises of two CM OSDs Ashish Verma and Manish Banchor and furniture trader Vijay Bhatia.
Sources informed the ED team along with the central paramilitary forces reached the Bhilai Nagar- 3 residences of CM OSDs Ashish Verma and Manish Banchor also on the Nehrunagar residence of furniture trader cum close aide of CM Bhupesh Baghel since morning. The teams carried out their search operations. Nobody was permitted to venture in or go outside.
Manish Banchor is an employee of Bhilai Steel Plant and presently working as CM OSD. The investigation is still underway, added the sources.
However, after the information of ED raids leaked out, Congressmen also staged demonstrations against the raids in Bhilai and Raipur.
Underlying Investigations and Scandals
Moreover, the ED has been investigating different cases in Chhattisgarh pertaining to an alleged coal scam, liquor scam, irregularities in the District Mineral Foundation fund, and an online betting application.
In the last two days, the ED conducted searches at several locations in Raipur and Durg, in connection with online betting activities related to Mahadev Satta.
ED has not mentioned officially why the raids or search operations were conducted. As a result, the markets got filled with rumours and sharp political reactions. Congress and BJP leaders clashed with satirical remarks from state level to national level.
Congress vs. BJP Rhetoric: A War of Words
Reacting to the ED raids, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "The ongoing ED raids in Chattisgarh are a clear reaction to all the pre-poll surveys that have predicted a massive rout for the BJP."
"Our pro-people Congress government will not get bogged down by such threats. We have the power of the people behind us," Khera said in a post on X
BJP Chhattisgarh unit also reacted on CM Bhupesh Baghel tweets and replied in the similar tone and asked where the Baba Saheb Ambedkar wrote in Indian Constitution to the investigating agencies that before taking action against any criminal, offender, or suspect that it should not coincide with the birthday, anniversaries like occasions like dates of their patron/boss.
The day the Bhupesh Baghel government formed in Chhattisgarh, scams became an integral part of the government. Coal scam, DMF scam, liquor scam, PSC scam, Gobar(dung) scam, innumerable types of scams occurred in the state, and to investigate the scams if ED is coming, the Congress government feels disturbed, Leader of Opposition Narayan Chandel said. (With Agency inputs)
