On a day following revelations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel received a substantial sum of Rs 508 crore from the promoters of the illicit betting platform, Mahadev app, the Congress party responded vehemently on a Saturday, vehemently refuting the allegations and characterizing them as part of a "malicious campaign" intended to besmirch Baghel's reputation.
It is pertinent to note that the ED's investigation centers on the UAE-based promoters of the betting app, who are mired in allegations of involvement in money laundering and Hawala transactions, thereby prompting an ongoing inquiry.
During a joint press conference led by prominent party leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, and Abhishek Singhvi, the Congress voiced its staunch opposition to the allegations, describing them as a "clear-cut conspiracy to tarnish Bhupesh Baghel's image." Furthermore, they expressed their unwavering belief that the people would respond resoundingly to these allegations.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal emphasized, "ED and Income Tax Department are the main weapons of BJP. During the Karnataka Assembly elections, they conducted raids against more than 100 Congress candidates. Eight to nine months have gone past, but there is no follow-up about them."
Singhvi went on to assert, "Their [BJP-led central government] partnership with the ED is on the rise because they can also sense the defeat," specifically within the state of Chhattisgarh. He also maintained that the saffron party is "heading towards a big defeat, and the whole world knows about it."
Meanwhile, the BJP countered by alleging that the Congress was financing its election expenditures "with the assistance of hawala operators." Union Minister Smriti Irani expressed shock over the alleged usage of illicit funds from illegal betting and Hawala operations to underwrite the Congress campaign.
She contended, "The game of betting while being in power has become the face of Chhattisgarh Congress leadership. Yesterday, shocking facts regarding Bhupesh Baghel emerged before the country. More than Rs 5.30 Crores was seized from a man called Asim Das...Is it true that Congress leaders received money from Asim Das, via Shubham Soni? Is it true that Shubham Soni was ordered by Asim Das to go to Raiour and give money to Baghel as election expenses?"
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also weighed in, decrying "big corruption" and asserting that the Congress had a proclivity for engaging in corruption once in power, thereby misleading the public. He predicted a grim outcome for Bhupesh Baghel, envisioning a scenario in which he would face imprisonment.
These developments unfolded in the lead-up to the state assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, as the ED claimed to have taken the statement of a 'cash courier,' Asim Das, who made the explosive assertion that Bhupesh Baghel had received a staggering sum of Rs 508 crore from the promoters of the Mahadev betting app.
However, the Chhattisgarh government staunchly denied these allegations, characterizing the central agency's actions as a politically motivated maneuver, wielded as a "weapon" in the run-up to the state assembly election.
