ED quizzes Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's advisors over money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday questioned a political advisor and an OSD of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged illegal betting and gambling app, official sources said. The federal agency recorded the statement of Baghel’s political advisor Vinod Verma and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Manish Banchhore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The premises of both Verma and Banchhore were raided by the ED last week and they were then asked to join the probe at the ED office located here. The agency has arrested four people, including assistant sub-inspector Chandrabhushan Verma, alleged hawala operator brothers Anil and Sunil Dammani and a man identified as Satish Chandrakar in this case linked to alleged illegal betting app called ‘Mahadev Online Book’. It had alleged that the arrested policeman used his “relationship” with Verma and also hawala funds received from Dubai to influence high-ranking officials and politicians connected to the Chhattisgarh CMO. Soon after this action, Baghel had alleged that ED and income tax department raids on his colleagues were malicious attempts to defame and suppress the state government. Vinod Verma held a press conference on August 24 and said that he does not have a “single penny” of ill-gotten money.