ED raids in Chhattisgarh over mining case, Cong says \'third rate politics\'

New Delhi: Days ahead of the AICC plenary session, the Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh, including at premises of those linked to Congress leaders, as part of an ongoing probe into the coal levy money-laundering case. Hitting out at the BJP over the raids, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel called the ED’s raids at the premises of Congress leaders in the state a “politically motivated” move and claimed that the BJP was afraid of the Congress and misusing Central agencies to crush the voices of political opponents. “Their intention is to impact the Congress’ upcoming plenary session in Raipur where a roadmap for the 2024 general election will be discussed,” Mr Baghel said, addressing a press conference at the party’s state headquarters. The Congress Party also termed the ED raids against party leaders in Chhattisgarh as an example of the “third rate politics” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said it will not be intimidated by such “tactics”. Reacting to the Congress’ charge linking ED’s raids against its leaders in Chhattisgarh to “vendetta politics”, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Congress should not speak on corruption as it lost power on the issue and said the probe agencies do their homework and investigate only when they have necessary prima facie evidence.