Raipur, May 20: The investigators in Chhattisgarh have ramped up efforts to uncover the details of a massive liquor scam, estimated to be worth Rs 2,000 crore.

The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have launched a series of coordinated raids across multiple districts, including Durg-Bhilai and Mahasamund.

Reports suggest that enforcement teams are actively conducting operations at 22 locations in Durg-Bhilai, after arriving in Bhilai on Tuesday morning in four vehicles.

Additional searches are underway in Sankara and Basna within the Mahasamund district, focusing on individuals closely associated with former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, sources said.

The authorities have expanded their scrutiny to business establishments, with EOW teams inspecting the residences of individuals suspected of involvement in the scam.

The investigation has widened to the Mahasamund district, where the enforcement teams had raided the premises of a businessman and an LIC agent believed to be linked to the illicit liquor trade.

The ACB and EOW teams have executed searches at more than 20 locations across the state, targeting key figures involved in the operation.

The investigation has caused a significant stir, with officials continuing to uncover crucial evidence.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma on January 15 after multiple rounds of interrogation.

The ACB and EOW registered an FIR in January 2024 based on a letter from the Enforcement Directorate.

Recent findings indicate that the scam, which allegedly took place between 2019 and 2022, resulted in substantial financial losses to the state exchequer while generating illegal profits exceeding Rs 2,100 crore.

The syndicate behind the scam reportedly includes senior bureaucrats, politicians, and excise department officials.

The authorities have confiscated cash, electronic devices, bank records, and land investment documents from suspects’ residences earlier. The investigation remains active as officials work to expose the full extent of the fraudulent activities.

New Delhi, May 20: Amid the growing verbal exchange between the Congress and BJP over India’s ‘alerting’ Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor, the latter stepped up the offensive and took a caustic jibe at the Leader of Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to X to share a picture of Congress MP and Pak Army chief Asim Munir overlapping with each other.

“What’s next for Rahul Gandhi? The Nishan-e-Pakistan?” he wrote, taking a sharp swipe.

Rahul Gandhi, along with other Congress leaders, has been targeting the Centre over External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s statement that India gave a warning to Pakistan before launching a military operation. Congress claims that it was not just a strategic lapse but an ‘unpardonable’ crime. However, the charges have been outrightly refuted by the Ministry.

Amit Malviya, sharing the juxtaposed picture of Rahul and Pak Army chief on X, accused the Congress leader of speaking on behalf of Pakistan.

“It is not surprising that Rahul Gandhi is speaking the language of Pakistan and its benefactors. He hasn’t congratulated the Prime Minister on the flawless Operation Sindoor, which unmistakably showcases India’s dominance.”

He also claimed that the Congress MP hasn’t once inquired about how many Pakistani jets were shot down during the conflict, or how many were destroyed while parked in their hangars when Indian forces pounded Pakistani airbases.

“Instead, he repeatedly asks how many jets we lost – a question that has already been addressed in the DGMO briefings,” Malviya claimed.

The controversial image of Rahul and Asim Munir, put together in one frame, is set to create a political furore, with Congress taking a strong objection to it.

Early this morning, Assam cabinet minister Ashok Singhal also shared the same image and captioned it – ‘divided by borders, united by agenda’, reiterating the party’s charge that Congress’ talk of national security merely remains on paper and when it comes to action, they start taking sides of India’s adversary.

In another post, Malviya wrote that Rahul Gandhi was the new age Mir Jafar and also shared a cartoon.

Mumbai, May 20: Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damani on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government over veteran NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s induction into the state cabinet.

Soon after Bhujbal was inducted into the state cabinet, Damani wrote in a post on X in Marathi (loosely translated as): “Congratulations to the coalition government of Maharashtra. The state got another ED Bhushan Minister.”

Minutes before Bhujbal’s induction, Damani said, “Will Chhagan Bhujbal take oath as a minister at Raj Bhavan at 10 a.m. on Tuesday? Wow, Fadnavis, wow! Does this mean that one corrupt minister will be replaced by another corrupt minister? What is this nonsense? Or are there no decent people in politics?”

She further said, “And yes, when this same Bhujbal was in jail, a photo of him looking like a complete loser was shown in the media. So now what? I feel disgusted with Maharashtra politics. Remember the slogan below? “Action against corrupt officials, Ab Ki bar 400 paar.”

“Modi Govt’s Big Step Against Corruption. “Is this the big step? Is this the action?” she asked.

Bhujbal’s induction was done after the NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, party working president Praful Patel, and party state president Sunil Tatkare’s unanimous decision, especially ahead of the upcoming local and civic body elections.

Bhujbal is a leading OBC leader and the founder of Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad. He has been a strong advocate of the protection of the OBC reservation and caste-based census.

As another OBC leader Dhananjay Munde resigned in March in connection with the brutal killing of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, NCP decided to give ministerial berth to Bhujbal.

Bhijbal was sulking after not being inducted into the cabinet expansion held on December 15 last year.