The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted bail to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in two cases arising from the multi-crore liquor scam, holding that continued custody was not justified amid prolonged investigation and parity with co-accused already enlarged on bail.
The cases stem from a January 2024 FIR registered by the ACB/EOW alleging a large-scale liquor syndicate that operated between 2019 and 2023 through illegal liquor sales, forged holograms, and commission-based rackets, allegedly causing losses of about Rs.4,000 crore to the state exchequer. On the basis of this predicate offence, the Enforcement Directorate initiated a parallel probe under the PMLA, alleging laundering of illicit proceeds through shell entities and real estate projects.
The applicant was arrested by the ED in July 2025 and later taken into custody by the EOW in September 2025. Seeking bail, he argued that his arrest was selective, that he was not initially named in the ED proceedings, and that several co-accused with graver alleged roles had already secured bail. He further alleged that his second arrest was timed to prevent his release and that custodial interrogation was never shown to be necessary.
The High Court weighed the length and nature of custody, the stage of investigation, and the principle of parity, noting that similarly placed co-accused had been granted bail by higher courts. It was also significant, the Court observed, that the agencies had conducted extensive investigation over a considerable period without demonstrating why continued incarceration was indispensable.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, the Court held that bail could not be denied as a punitive measure, reiterating that “liberty cannot be curtailed merely on the basis of gravity when investigation can proceed with conditions.” Consequently, the Court allowed the bail applications in both matters, subject to strict terms to safeguard the investigation.
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