Dawn Raids Expose Deep-Rooted Chhattisgarh Corruption Nexus
The ACB-EOW raids kicked off at the crack of dawn, with teams swooping down on residences and offices of implicated bureaucrats, contractors, and businessmen. Key hotspots included Sargipal in Kondagaon district, where a prominent businessman's property was cordoned off for over two hours; Raipur's Civil Lines, home to a former excise official; and districts like Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Durg-Bhilai, and Rajnandgaon.
Under heavy security, investigators seized critical evidence, including hard drives, bank statements, property deeds, financial ledgers, and computerized records. These Chhattisgarh scam raids are being hailed as one of the largest statewide anti-graft operations, building on October's EOW sweeps at 14 sites that first revealed digital trails of illicit money flows.
Forensic audits are now underway to trace the money laundering paths, with officials signaling zero tolerance for the corrupt network that has eroded public trust.
Unraveling the DMF Scam: Funds for Tribals Diverted in Mining Irregularities
At the heart of the probe lies the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scam, where hundreds of crores in funds—earmarked under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)—were allegedly misappropriated. Mining firms are required to contribute up to one-third of royalties to DMF for welfare projects like health, education, and infrastructure in mining-affected tribal areas. However, between 2019 and 2020, these resources were siphoned off through fake tenders, inflated bills, and kickbacks.
The DMF scam in Chhattisgarh has left vulnerable communities high and dry, with diverted funds fueling a nexus of officials, suppliers, politicians, and middlemen. Over the past two years, more than 200 corrupt functionaries have been nabbed in related cases, underscoring the scale of mining scam exploitation.
Excise Scam Probe Targets Rs 3,200 Crore Liquor Syndicate
Parallel to the DMF irregularities, the excise scam investigation exposes a Rs 3,200 crore liquor syndicate operating from 2019 to 2023. Excise officials allegedly amassed Rs 88 crore in illicit assets by manipulating policies, such as issuing rigged FL-10 licences, and awarding contracts to cronies.
This Chhattisgarh excise scam involved a sophisticated ring of officials and suppliers, with evidence pointing to policy tweaks that favored the syndicate. The raids have now intensified scrutiny on these liquor scam operations, aiming to dismantle the entire corrupt ecosystem.
Path to Justice: Reclaiming Pilfered Public Wealth
The ACB EOW raids in Chhattisgarh mark a decisive push by the state's anti-corruption machinery to recover stolen public funds and restore governance integrity. As probes deepen, the focus remains on holding all perpetrators accountable—no matter their influence.
