RAIPUR, Oct 11: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the premises of senior officials, businessmen and politicians of the ruling Congress at different locations in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, sources said.
Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel termed it as an “act of intimidation”.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not able to fight directly, hence it is trying to fight through the ED, Income Tax (I-T) department and the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Baghel told reporters here.
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According to sources, separate teams of the ED conducted raids in state capital Raipur, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Korba and other districts.
The raids covered premises of a district collector, some senior officials, businessman and politicians of the ruling party, the sources said without elaborating.
Baghel said, “The BJP is not able to fight directly, so is trying to fight through the ED, IT and DRI. I have already said that they will come again and it’s not the last time. Their visits will increase as the election approaches. This is just an act of intimidation and nothing else.”
The state Assembly elections are due in November 2023.
Chhattisgarh Congress communication cell chief Sushil Anand Shukla said he had an apprehension that the BJP would misuse central agencies in the state as it was unable to fight a political battle (with the ruling party).
CM Baghel had also expressed the apprehension many times, Shukla said.
If the action is taken as per law then there is no problem, he said.
“But, the BJP is misusing the central agencies across the country to create pressure,” he claimed, adding that this is condemnable.
“The Congress party will not be scared of such malpractices. We will fight them. We will expose them before the public,” Shukla said.
Last month, the I-T department had conducted raids at the premises of businessmen associated with steel and coal businesses.
Similar raids conducted by the I-T department in June-July this year covered the premises of coal businessman Suryakant Tiwari and a government officer posted in the Chief Minister’s Office. (PTI)
