Raipur, Feb 4 (PTI) A day after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in two cases linked to an alleged liquor scam, veteran Congress MLA and former Chhattisgarh excise minister Kawasi Lakhma was released from the Raipur Central Jail on Wednesday.

Lakhma was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 15, 2025, in connection with a money laundering probe related to the alleged multi-crore scam and was in jail under judicial custody since then.

On Tuesday, the apex court granted him interim bail in cases registered separately by the ED and the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

While granting bail, the SC imposed several conditions, including directing Lakhma to reside outside Chhattisgarh and permitting him to enter the state only to attend court hearings. The SC did not allow the submissions that the accused, being an MLA, be permitted to take part in assembly proceedings.

A large number of Congress leaders and workers, including MLAs Vikram Mandavi and Savitri Mandavi and former legislator Vikas Upadhyay, gathered outside the jail to receive him, raising slogans in his support. Lakhma's wife and son were also there.

Lakhma, a prominent tribal leader of the Congress from the Bastar region, garlanded a statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the jail premises. A troupe also performed a tribal dance outside the jail to welcome him.

Talking to reporters outside the prison, Lakhma expressed full faith in the judiciary and asserted he would continue to fight for the rights of tribals, farmers, the poor, and remained committed to protecting "jal, jungle and zameen" (water, forest and land) of the state.

"I first congratulate the Supreme Court and the judiciary of this country. A poor tribal from Bastar who raised the voice for adivasis, farmers and 'jal, jungle zameen' had remained in jail for a year. I have full faith in the judiciary and I believe, the truth will finally prevail. I will continue to fight for Bastar and for the protection of its forests, land and water as long as I live," the MLA affirmed.

He thanked Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Rahul Gandhi, AICC state in-charge Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, state Congress president Deepak Baij and Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant for their support, and expressed gratitude to party workers, farmers and tribal communities of Bastar.

Asked whether he would be able to attend the upcoming budget session of the Assembly, the Opposition legislator maintained he would request the Speaker to permit him to participate in House proceedings so that he is able to raise issues of farmers, labourers, tribals and backward communities.

The ACB/EOW arrested the Congress leader on September 24 last year in a separate corruption case linked to the alleged scam while he was already in judicial custody on money laundering charges.

According to the ED, the alleged liquor scam was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022, when Chhattisgarh was ruled by the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government.

Lakhma, a six-time MLA from Konta in Sukma district, was the excise minister during that period. The excise department is tasked with regulating manufacture, sale, possession, transport, and consumption of liquor.

The central agency has alleged the scam caused a massive loss to the state exchequer while benefiting a liquor syndicate comprising politicians, bureaucrats, their associates and excise department officials.

The ACB/EOW has claimed the proceeds of crime linked to the scam could exceed Rs 3,500 crore.

Lakhma was receiving Rs 2 crore per month from the alleged liquor scam and was in possession of proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 72 crore in 36 months, the ED said.

It alleged that "cash" worth Rs 68 lakh was employed in construction of a Congress Bhavan in Sukma, Rs 1.40 crore was "utilised" for construction of a house of Harish, son of Lakhma, in Sukma and Rs 2.24 crore was "utilised" for construction of his own (Lakhma's) house at Raipur.

In the same 'scam', the ED arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, on July 18 last year, while the ACB/EOW placed him under arrest on September 24 in its case while he was already in judicial custody.

On January 2 this year, the Chhattisgarh High Court granted bail to Chaitanya.

The ED, in December last year, filed a final prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in the liquor scam case in Chhattisgarh, naming 59 people, taking the number of accused in the money laundering case to 81.

These 59 accused include former deputy secretary at Chief Minister's Office (during Baghel government) Soumya Chaurasia, former IAS officer Niranjan Das, liquor licence holders, distributors and excise department officials. PTI TKP RSY