Chhattisgarh: Congress leader Ram Gopal Aggarwal on EOW remand till July 17 in scams worth crores.

• Ram Gopal Aggarwal was sent on EOW remand by the special court.
• EOW will conduct inquiry till July 17.
• Aggarwal was absconding for almost 3 years, surrendered on Wednesday.

Raipur. Senior Congress leader Ram Gopal Aggarwal, accused in the much-discussed liquor, custom milling and coal levy scam of Chhattisgarh, was produced in the special court of Raipur on Thursday.

After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the court sent him on custodial remand of the Economic Offenses Investigation Wing (EOW) till July 17.

Defense lawyer Faisal Rizvi said that EOW will interrogate Ramgopal Aggarwal during the remand period. After this he will be produced again in the court.

The Economic Offenses Investigation Branch had sought 14 days’ remand from the court. After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the court approved remand for 9 days. Ram Gopal Aggarwal was absconding for the last three years and a permanent warrant was issued against him.

He surrendered on Wednesday after his son Vaibhav Aggarwal was interrogated by the EOW. He has been the Treasurer of Chhattisgarh Congress and has also held the responsibility of Chairman of Civil Supplies Corporation (NAAN).

The investigating agency alleges that an entry worth crores of rupees has been found in the name of ‘Congress Bhawan’ in the seized diary of businessman Suryakant Tiwari. According to the allegation, money from the alleged liquor and paddy scams was also delivered to Agarwal at Rajiv Bhawan (Congress headquarters).

According to the EOW, the case pertains to alleged irregularities in the incentive amount given to rice millers for custom milling of paddy.

The investigating agency alleges that between 2015 and 2023, the incentive amount was increased in violation of rules and undue benefits were given to selected rice millers.

According to the agency, there is a possibility of a scam of about Rs 127 crore in this case. The coal levy scam is a case related to coal transportation and mining business between the year 2020 and 2022.

The investigating agencies allege that illegal recovery was made on per tonne basis from the traders transporting coal. Investigating agencies claim that illegal levy of about Rs 540 crore was collected through this network. The allegations have not yet been judicially confirmed.

Liquor scam is one of the popular economic matters of the state. According to ED and EOW, there are allegations of sale of illegal liquor, commission taking and loss of government revenue by forming an alleged syndicate in the government liquor sales system between the year 2019 to 2022.

Investigating agencies claim that the size of this alleged scam is around Rs 3,200 crore. Investigation is going on against many officials, businessmen and other people in the case.

The Congress party has termed this action as politically motivated and misuse of investigating agencies. The party has announced a state-wide demonstration in protest against this, while the BJP has claimed that after this remand, the entire truth of the corruption of the previous Bhupesh Baghel government will come out openly.

The EOW team will interrogate Ram Gopal Aggarwal on the basis of documents, digital evidence and records of financial transactions seized during this remand period.