Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam: ED Attaches Properties Worth ₹6.15 Crore Linked to Former Minister Kawasi Lakhma

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached three immovable properties worth ₹6.15 crore in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the agency announced on Friday.

According to the ED’s Raipur Zonal Office, the attached properties include:

• Congress Bhawan in Sukma,

• A residential house in Raipur in the name of Kawasi Lakhma,

• A residential house in Sukma in the name of Harish Kawasi, son of Lakhma.

The ED’s investigation is based on an FIR filed by ACB/EOW Chhattisgarh under the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, in connection with large-scale corruption in the state’s liquor trade.

₹2 Crore Monthly Kickback, ₹72 Crore in Proceeds of Crime

The probe revealed that Kawasi Lakhma, the then Excise Minister of Chhattisgarh, allegedly received ₹2 crore per month in bribes between 2019 and 2022 — amounting to ₹72 crore over 36 months.

The ED claims to have obtained evidence showing that large sums of this illicit cash were invested in the construction of the attached properties:

• ₹68 lakh for Congress Bhawan, Sukma

• ₹1.40 crore for Harish Lakhma’s house

• ₹2.24 crore for Lakhma’s own house in Raipur

Wider Corruption Trail

As per the ED, the liquor scam caused a loss of over ₹2,161 crore to the state exchequer, involving the generation of massive proceeds of crime (POC).

Lakhma is currently under judicial custody. The latest property attachment adds to the agency’s earlier provisional attachment of assets worth ₹205 crore in the case.

The ED has stated that further investigation is ongoing.