Ex-CMO Deputy Secretary Soumya Chaurasia Arrested in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Soumya Chaurasia, a former deputy secretary in the Chief Minister's Office in Chhattisgarh, in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam. Chaurasia served under Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and is also an accused in the alleged coal levy scam. She was arrested late on Tuesday and produced before a special court on Wednesday. Chaurasia, a suspended state administrative service officer, was earlier arrested in 2022 and released on bail in May by the Supreme Court. The ED has been investigating the liquor scam, which allegedly took place between 2019 and 2022 under the Congress government. According to the agency, the scam caused a loss of over ₹2,500 crore to the state exchequer and generated illegal gains for members of the liquor syndicate. Former Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma and Chief Minister Baghel's son Chaitanya Baghel are also being probed in the case. Chaitanya Baghel, arrested on July 18, remains in judicial custody.