Pilot accuses BJP of misusing ED for political vendetta

Amid escalating political tensions in Chhattisgarh, senior Congress leader and AICC in charge for the state, Sachin Pilot, on Saturday visited the Raipur Central Jail to meet Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and senior Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma, both arrested in connection with the alleged multi crore liquor scam being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The BJP, in response, dismissed the allegations and urged the Congress to “stop playing the victim card” when faced with legal scrutiny.

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Pilot launched a sharp attack on the BJP led Centre, accusing it of “weaponising central agencies” to silence opposition voices.

“This is not just a legal matter, it’s a calculated political assault. The arrests of Chaitanya Baghel and Kawasi Lakhma are part of a larger pattern across the country where the ED is being used as a political tool to destabilise opposition parties,” he told journalists outside the jail premises.

Pilot said both were in “good morale” despite the circumstances. “Chaitanya is standing firm. He is confident that the truth will prevail. Lakhma ji, who has long standing health issues, is receiving medical attention, but his detention under these conditions raises serious humanitarian concerns,” Pilot added.

The Congress has called the ED’s actions in the case “selective and vindictive”, alleging that the probe lacks transparency and is timed to coincide with political cycles. The party has staged statewide protests and accused the BJP of attempting to discredit its leadership ahead of the 2024 general elections.

BJP leaders, however, rejected the charges. “Law enforcement agencies are acting independently. If someone is innocent, the courts will vindicate them. Congress must stop playing the victim card every time wrongdoing surfaces,” said BJP legislator Purandar Mishra.

The liquor scam case is part of a broader crackdown in Chhattisgarh, where the ED has previously arrested senior bureaucrats, businessmen, and middlemen in related cases involving the excise, coal, and mining sectors.
With high profile political figures now in custody, the case has become a flashpoint in the state’s evolving political narrative, one likely to influence the tone and tenor of upcoming electoral battles.