7 Arrested in CSMCL Rs 115 Crore Overtime Scam

Economic Offences Wing probes CSMCL overtime scam, uncovering fake bills worth over Rs 115 crore paid to manpower agencies for liquor shop staff.

Raipur's anti-corruption agencies have cracked down on a massive financial irregularity in the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), arresting seven people, including senior executives from private manpower firms. The CSMCL overtime scam allegedly involved disbursing nearly Rs 115 crore in overtime payments from 2019-20 to 2023-24, which never reached liquor shop workers but was siphoned off through bogus bills and commissions. Officials say the probe, triggered by earlier cash seizures, points to a systematic fraud causing heavy losses to the state exchequer.english.

Arrests in Manpower Firms

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) took the seven into custody late last week, presenting them in court where they were remanded to police custody until May 11. Among those held are top executives from agencies like Eagle Hunter Solution Limited, previously linked to two arrests in April—field officer Abhishek Kumar Singh and accountant Tijau Ram Nirmalkar. Investigators claim these individuals managed cash withdrawals and fund transfers to other accused.

Fake Shifts on Paper

Paper trails showed extra shifts at government liquor outlets, justifying overtime claims that agencies billed for aggressively. But ground checks revealed workers got nothing, with sanctioned funds allegedly diverted as kickbacks to officials and private players. The scam's scale—spanning five financial years—suggests organized manipulation of payment systems during the previous Congress regime in Chhattisgarh.

ED Raid Sparks Probe

It all began with an Enforcement Directorate (ED) operation on November 29, 2023, when Rs 28.80 lakh in cash was recovered from three suspects in Raipur. Linking it to unpaid overtime wages led ACB-EOW to file an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC sections for cheating and conspiracy. This input from ED peeled back layers of what appears to be a broader corruption network.money.

Anwar Dhebar's Link Emerges

Businessman Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of a former Raipur mayor, was arrested earlier in February 2026 in connection with this and related scams, including liquor irregularities. He's currently in judicial remand, and officials hint at more ties emerging from interrogations. The manpower angle has now widened the net significantly.

Workers Shortchanged

Hundreds of frontline staff at CSMCL liquor shops—deployed via these agencies—were promised extra pay for extended hours, only for it to vanish into the fraud pipeline. Sources in the probe team say records were fudged to inflate claims, with real overtime hours ignored. Public outrage is building over how public money meant for labourers ended up elsewhere.english.

Probe Deepens Ahead

With custodial remand in place, EOW-ACB expects key disclosures on fund trails and accomplices during questioning. The agency has seized documents and is scrutinising bank transactions for further leads. This CSMCL overtime scam could unravel more from Chhattisgarh's troubled excise sector, with potential for additional arrests.

Delhi Court Grants Bail to I-PAC Co-Founder Vinesh Chandel in Money Laundering Case

ED raises no objection as court releases Vinesh Kumar Chandel on regular bail a day after West Bengal polls begin, citing cooperation in probe linked to alleged coal pilferage.

A Delhi court on Thursday granted regular bail to Vinesh Kumar Chandel, director and co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The agency informed the court it had no objection to his release.

Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal of the Patiala House Courts allowed the plea after taking on record the investigating officer’s statement. The court noted Chandel’s cooperation with the probe so far.

Bail Terms and Conditions

The court granted bail on a personal bond of ₹2 lakh with a surety of the same amount. Standard conditions were imposed: Chandel cannot leave the country without prior permission, must not tamper with evidence, and has to continue cooperating with the investigation. The detailed order is expected to be uploaded shortly.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, assisted by advocate Abhishek Mishra, represented Chandel in the matter.

This development came just a day after the commencement of polling in the West Bengal Assembly elections, where I-PAC has played a significant role in supporting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) campaign machinery.

Earlier Rejection of Interim Bail

Only days earlier, the same court had turned down Chandel’s application for interim bail. The judge had stressed that relief under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is not granted routinely, especially given the stringent provisions of Section 45.

Chandel had cited his 74-year-old mother’s dementia and other family health issues, including hypertension and related conditions. However, the court found no evidence of sudden life-threatening emergency or acute deterioration that would justify immediate release. Medical documents were deemed insufficient, and the presence of other family members, including his wife and brother, was noted as adequate support.

The court had also highlighted the serious nature of the allegations involving economic offences.

Background of the Case

Chandel was arrested by the ED on April 13 in Delhi in connection with a money laundering probe stemming from an alleged coal pilferage case in West Bengal. He was later sent to 14 days of judicial custody on April 23 after the expiry of ED remand. The case traces back to an ECIR registered on March 28, based on an FIR by the Economic Offences Wing.

According to the ED, proceeds of crime from the coal scam—running into crores—were allegedly laundered through structured transactions, including splitting of accounted and unaccounted cash, bogus invoices, and hawala channels. I-PAC Consulting Pvt Ltd and its directors, including Chandel who holds a significant stake, came under scrutiny for their alleged role in concealing and layering such funds. Initial probes pointed to around ₹20 crore or more being routed through such networks.

Raids were conducted earlier at multiple locations linked to I-PAC officials across cities.

I-PAC’s Role in TMC’s Campaign Strategy

I-PAC gained prominence for its data-driven approach in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, where it helped shape TMC’s organisational strategy under Mamata Banerjee. The firm handled aspects ranging from candidate selection and booth-level micro-management to crafting speeches, social media content, posters, and slogans.

In the run-up to the 2026 polls, I-PAC reportedly analysed booth-level data from previous elections, categorising seats by strength and margins. Seats with narrow victories up to 15,000 votes received special attention. The team was also involved in monitoring Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, deploying shadow agents to assist voters facing deletions, and providing real-time ground inputs through a dedicated team that organised small-scale meetings.

The firm’s deep involvement had made it a key pillar of TMC’s election machinery, though the party has developed internal capacities over the years to handle data and outreach.

Political Timing and Reactions

The arrest, which came weeks before the polls, triggered strong reactions from TMC leaders, who questioned the timing and described the ED action as politically motivated. The development added another layer of tension in what is already a keenly contested election in the state.

With Chandel’s release on regular bail, the focus now shifts to the continuation of the investigation. The ED’s decision not to oppose bail has been noted, though the agency retains the right to pursue the case further.

Legal experts point out that while bail has been granted, the underlying PMLA case involves serious allegations that could have implications for the financial trail being examined. Chandel is expected to remain bound by the court’s conditions as the probe proceeds.

The case continues to draw attention not just for its legal merits but also for its intersection with the high-stakes political battle in West Bengal. Further developments, including the uploading of the detailed bail order, are awaited.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered an alleged foreign funding network linked to religious activities in Chhattisgarh, with investigators claiming that nearly Rs 95 crore entered India over six months through foreign debit cards. According to officials, the money was allegedly routed into the country between November 2025 and April 2026 and used in part for Christian missionary-linked operations in the state’s tribal and Maoist-affected districts.

The Chhattisgarh Christian funding probe has placed focus on Bastar and Dhamtari, where central agencies say nearly Rs 6.5 crore was spent on religious outreach and associated activities. The findings have emerged from an ongoing money laundering investigation involving foreign nationals, digital financial trails and suspected regulatory violations.

Airport detention triggers case

The investigation gained momentum after immigration authorities detained a foreign national, identified as Micah Mark, at Bengaluru International Airport. Officials said he was intercepted on the basis of an ED-issued lookout circular.

During the search, authorities recovered 24 foreign debit cards from his possession. Investigators suspect the cards were used to withdraw cash from ATMs across India in a structured manner to avoid scrutiny and bypass formal financial reporting systems.

TTI under scanner

At the centre of the case is ‘The Timothy Initiative’ (TTI), an organisation that agencies say is linked to Christian evangelical work. ED officials allege that TTI and its associates operated a covert funding structure to support activities in India without routing money through authorised regulatory channels.

According to investigators, the organisation is not registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), yet foreign funds were allegedly used to support operations on the ground. Officials are now examining whether this constituted a direct violation of India’s foreign funding and anti-money laundering laws.

Cash withdrawals tracked

ED said its searches on April 18 and 19 covered six locations across the country. During the operation, officials tracked repeated ATM withdrawals allegedly made using foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank in the United States.

Investigators believe the method was designed to fragment transactions and avoid detection by regulators. Instead of formal banking transfers, funds were allegedly brought into India through multiple withdrawals, reducing the chances of immediate compliance alerts.

Officials also said digital accounting and billing tools were used to maintain transaction records, with parts of the system believed to have been operated from outside India.

Seizures and evidence

During the raids, ED seized 25 foreign debit cards, Rs 40 lakh in cash, electronic devices and digital records. Investigators also collected documents that may help establish the financial chain, beneficiary network and end use of funds.

Officials indicated that the case may involve a larger organised money laundering structure with interstate and international links. The agency is now examining the role of intermediaries, local facilitators and financial handlers connected to the network.

Bastar focus sharpens 

The alleged use of foreign funds in Bastar and Dhamtari has drawn particular attention because both regions remain sensitive from a security and tribal policy standpoint. Officials are assessing whether the funds were used only for religious expansion or if there were broader local influence operations attached to them.

The probe has also raised questions around financial surveillance, compliance enforcement and the monitoring of foreign-linked religious funding in conflict-prone districts. The matter is likely to figure in wider Government Updates and internal security reviews.

Investigation widens further

The ED has not announced arrests beyond the detention linked to the airport interception, but officials said the investigation remains active and more summons are likely. Financial records, digital devices and cross-border transactions are now under forensic review.