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NEW DELHI: ED on Friday said arrested Congress MLA and former excise minister in the Bhupesh Baghel govt in Chhattisgarh, Kawasi Lakhma, was “aware of the complete affairs of the liquor scam, yet he did nothing to stop it”. ED accused Lakhma of receiving Rs 2 crore every month from the syndicate involved in illegal liquor trade.
The agency said Lakhma played a key role in the introduction of FL-10A licence in Chhattisgarh.ED said it has collected evidence linking the use of crime proceeds obtained by Kawasi in construction of immovable properties.
ED said the scam resulted in massive loss to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of the syndicate with proceeds of crime estimated to be more than Rs 2,100 crore. Earlier, ED had arrested several others named in the case, including ex-IAS officer Anil Tuteja
ED further said bribe was collected from “distillers” on the basis of “each case of liquor procured from them by the CSMCL (state body for purchase and sale of liquor)”.
The syndicate also sold unaccounted ‘kacha’ off-the-books country liquor. “Not even a single rupee reached the state exchequer, while the illegal liquor was sold from state-run shops.” Commission was received from distillers to allow them to make a cartel and have fixed market share. Commission alos came from FL-10A licence holders for letting them earn from foreign liquor sales, ED said.
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