The Supreme Court has adjourned until January the hearing of a plea filed by Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, challenging his arrest in connection with an alleged liquor scam in the state. The court stated that the matter could not be heard piecemeal.

Chaitanya Baghel was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 18, 2025. He has also challenged certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

During the hearing, Chaitanya Baghel's counsel, Kapil Sibal, argued that the ED continues to make arrests while keeping the investigation open, which he said cannot continue. He argued against the practice of issuing open-ended warrants and alleged that the agency's actions were selective. Sibal contended that the grounds for Chaitanya Baghel's arrest were unsustainable and that the investigation violated established legal principles. He claimed that his client was arrested for non-cooperation but was never summoned by the ED.

Advocate Zoheb Hossain, representing the ED, informed the bench that the High Court had already heard Chaitanya Baghel's bail plea and reserved judgment. He questioned the need for protective measures when Chaitanya Baghel was already in custody and accused him of seeking anticipatory bail in another case.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, decided to postpone the hearing, stating that the matter could not be heard "piecemeal" and scheduled it for the first week of January.

The ED's case is that Chaitanya Baghel is suspected of being a recipient of proceeds from the alleged ₹3000 crore liquor scam. The agency alleges that a parallel excise network was operated by a nexus of bureaucrats and politicians, causing a loss of ₹2,161 crore to the state exchequer. The ED claims that illegal money from the scam was used to fund Chaitanya Baghel's "Vitthal Green Project" through his company, Baghel Developers.

The Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a First Information Report (FIR) in January 2024 based on the ED's complaints, accusing 70 individuals of involvement in the alleged scam. Those accused include former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, former Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, and Indian Administrative Service officer Anil Tuteja.

In a related development, the ED had previously arrested Saumya Chaurasia, who served as deputy chief secretary during Bhupesh Baghel's tenure, in connection with the same alleged liquor scam.