Install video camera in room Sonia Gandhi was interrogated: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel challenges ED

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tried to vex the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths by making a statement in a public programme held in Raipur on Thursday.

The CM challenged the probing agency saying that if they had the courage then install a video camera in the room Congress President Sonia Gandhi was interrogated.

While addressing the gathering, the CM also questioned the whole enquiry process and alleged Sonia Gandhi was intentionally harassed.

Notably, the Congress President was summoned by ED in Delhi on Thursday in a money laundering case related to National Herald newspaper funds management.

Slamming the Centre, Baghel said that former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, his son Abhishek Singh and his wife Veena Singh siphoned Rs 6000 crores of public money in the Augusta West Land Chopper purchase scam, multi-crore PDS scam, and Chit Fund scam. Abhishek's name was highlighted in the Panama papers leak case, but no enquiry was made to date.

None of the ED sleuths summoned and raided their premises but here congress workers and leaders were continuously harassed by ED, CBI and other central agencies, alleged Baghel.

"ED sleuths are continuously roaming the streets of Chhattisgarh, but we are not afraid of it," the CM said.

However, in this context, BJP tried to justify the actions of ED and other Central agencies

BJP State President Vishnu Deo Sai said that Baghel is crippling the image of the CM’s chair by making frivolous allegations over the central investigating agencies such as ED.

"If the CM is really concerned about installing CCTVs then he must install CCTVs in various places within the state where games of corruption and heinous offences were executed openly. It will provide security to the common citizens," Sai said.

Central agencies are doing their official duty, he added.