Political vendetta? ED raids Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s staff months before assembly polls

In what is being seen as political vendetta, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, 23 August, conducted a search at the residence of Vinod Verma, who serves as political advisor to Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Reacting to the news, Baghel wrote a sarcastic post on social media platform X, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah for the 'priceless gift' on his birthday.

“Respected Prime Minister and Amit Shah! Thank you very much for the priceless gift you have given me on my birthday by sending ED to my political advisor, my (Officer on Special Duty) and my close friends’ homes,” Baghel wrote.

As per reports from news agency PTI, the ED has been investigating cases in Chhattisgarh pertaining to an alleged coal scam, liquor scam and an online betting application. Citing sources, PTI said that the ED has been conducting raids for the last two days in Raipur and Durg.

"Trying to tarnish CM Bhupesh Baghel's birthday with ED raids only exposes BJP's fear of Congress's growing popularity in Chhattisgarh.

"No matter how hard Narendra Modi and Amit Shah try, the politics of hatred by the BJP will not work in Chhattisgarh," said Deepak Khatri, NSUI (National Students' Union of India) activist on X.