Taking a swipe at the ruling BJP over the state Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) registering an FIR in the alleged coal and liquor scam cases against the previous Congress regime, former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said the government directed the ACB to file an offence in a case that the ED and Income Tax sleuths had been probing over the last three years.

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Speaking to reporters on Friday, the former CM and senior Congress leader said, “The ED (Directorate of Enforcement) and the I-T were probing the matter over the last three years and now it turns out that the government has directed the ACB to register an offence. Earlier, during the probe carried out by ED and IT, none of our leaders were named. However, the ACB has now registered an offence naming several of our leaders. It seems that a case has been registered with an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.”

He claimed that Congress leader UD Minj has been named in the case as he contested against the current Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, adding that the move only goes to show the narrow and vindictive mindset of the BJP leader.

Claiming that the move was aimed clearly at extracting political mileage ahead of the next general elections, the former CM added, “During our rule, revenue from liquor sales increased significantly as compared to the Raman Singh-led government. However, there’s not a shred of evidence to support allegations of a liquor scam worth Rs 2200 crores and a coal scam worth Rs 500 crores. Now, with the elections around the corner, a conspiracy is afoot to defame our leaders. I condemn CM CM Vishnu Deo Sai for getting back at us in this manner,” the former CM said.

Taking one’s name without supporting evidence is merely aimed at defaming the person or the party he represents, Baghel said, adding that the BJP even dragged the CM (referring to himself) in connection with the alleged

Mahadev online betting application case. He alleged that those who danced at the wedding of Saurabh Chandrakar, the founder of the Mahadev online betting app, in Dubai, were invited as guests for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. (ANI)

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