Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has appealed to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), urging the launch of a high-level judicial inquiry into the operations of both Central and state investigative agencies in Chhattisgarh.
In a letter addressed to Chief Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud, dated September 21, Baghel claimed that attempts were being made to falsely implicate him in various alleged scams under investigation by these agencies. He expressed concern that, if such misuse of investigative bodies for “political vendetta” is not curtailed, it will create an atmosphere of fear for every individual in the state.
The Congress leader stated that conspiracies were being orchestrated to associate his name with scams, specifically those connected to the “coal levy” issue and the Mahadev online betting platform. These two alleged scandals have been under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) since the time of Baghel’s tenure as Chief Minister. Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the last assembly elections, the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offence Wing (EOW) initiated their own separate investigations into these matters. Baghel is among 18 individuals named in an FIR filed by the EOW.
In his letter to the CJI, Baghel emphasized that during his five-year tenure, he upheld the Constitution and swiftly acted on any illegal activities or criminal cases brought to his attention. He conveyed his deep concern over what he termed “unconstitutional situations” currently prevailing in Chhattisgarh, stating that a recent incident had prompted him to write this letter.
Baghel referenced a reported meeting on September 8 between a senior IPS officer and businessman Suryakant Tiwari, a key accused in the coal levy scam, during which the officer allegedly pressured Tiwari to name Baghel as a beneficiary. The former Chief Minister cited a submission made by Tiwari in a district court to support this claim.
He further mentioned that he had publicly denied these baseless allegations several times, but the manner in which his name, along with those of his associates and supporters, had been implicated in money laundering cases ahead of last year’s elections suggested that the ED was acting on behalf of certain interests. Baghel accused the agency of conspiring to tarnish his image and undermine his government for political gain during the elections.
Baghel alleged that the state’s ACB and EOW had now joined this political conspiracy. He contended that the actions of these agencies were intended to damage his reputation, subject him to false prosecution, and ultimately end his political career through baseless allegations.
He appealed to the CJI to intervene in order to protect the supremacy of the Constitution and ensure the proper functioning of both Central and state agencies in Chhattisgarh. Baghel concluded by urging the CJI to institute a high-level judicial inquiry into the conduct and role of these investigative bodies in the state.
(With inputs from agency)
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