Synopsis
On March 26, a CBI team executed extensive raids across multiple locations associated with former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and others. The operation targeted various individuals, including IPS officers, in relation to the Mahadev betting app case, drawing political accusations from the Congress party against the BJP.Key Takeaways
- CBI raids involved over 50 locations
- Targets included former CM Baghel and police officials
- Raids linked to Mahadev betting app investigation
- Political tensions between Congress and BJP heightened
- Supporters protested at multiple raid sites
Bhopal, March 26 (NationPress) A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team launched extensive raids at various sites linked to former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and others during a significant operation.
The CBI operation reportedly encompassed over 50 locations across Raipur, Bhilai, and Durg, targeting individuals such as Baghel’s two special-duty officers, Saumya Chaurasia, MLA Devendra Yadav, Nishant Tripathi, Director of KPS School, and seven police officials, including four IPS officers.
Reports indicate that these raids are part of the investigation into the Mahadev betting app case.
One of the individuals involved in the raids was IPS officer Abhishek Pallava, known for his social media presence, whose residence was searched as part of the inquiry.
The office of the former chief minister acknowledged the CBI’s presence on X, mentioning (in Hindi) that Baghel was scheduled to be in Delhi that day for a 'Drafting Committee' meeting prior to the upcoming AICC meeting in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on April 8-9.
"However, just before his departure, CBI teams arrived at his residences in Raipur and Bhilai," the statement indicated.
Sources suggest the CBI also focused on the homes of IPS officers Anand Chhabra, Arif Sheikh, and Prashant Agarwal, along with police officer Sanjay Dhruv and constables Nakul and Sahdev, all allegedly linked to the same investigation.
In the meantime, the Chhattisgarh Congress unit took to X, claiming that the BJP was "weaponizing" the CBI after trying other methods through the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
"Since morning, the CBI has been stationed at the residences of Bhupesh Baghel, Congress National General Secretary, and MLA Devendra Yadav, Congress National Secretary," the post asserted.
It emphasized Baghel's trip to Delhi and Yadav's election responsibilities in Bihar, portraying the raids as an overt attempt to intimidate the Congress party.
"The BJP overlooks that 'fear' is not a term found in Congress' vocabulary," it added defiantly. Reports indicate over ten CBI teams were dispatched from Raipur at dawn.
One group targeted Baghel's residence in Raipur, while others invaded his Bhilai property located at 3 Padum Nagar, Yadav's bungalow in Sector 5, Pallava's home in Sector 9, as well as the residences of constables Nakul and Sahdev in Nehru Nagar.
Supporters of both Baghel and Yadav gathered in protest at the locations.
In Bhilai, Yadav's mother resisted the CBI's entry for nearly an hour until the team managed to convince her to allow them in.
Yadav was already on his way to Delhi. Sources reveal that the CBI interrogated Pallava at his Bhilai residence, surprising him just as he was about to leave for work.
Elsewhere, a team raided IPS officer Abhishek Maheshwari’s residence in Raipur, only to find it unoccupied. They promptly sealed the property and moved on.
Earlier, prior to Holi this month, the ED conducted searches at Baghel and his son’s home in Bhilai. The ED's inquiry lasted about 10 hours.
Following the team's departure, Bhupesh Baghel took to his X account, stating that the team had confiscated Rs 32-33 lakh and various documents, including a pen drive related to the Manturam case.
