New Delhi (Agency): Vinod Verma, the political advisor to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, has disclosed that his family members, including two sons, have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Verma, who was questioned by the central agency last week in connection with an alleged betting and gambling app case, posted a message on social media stating that he dropped his family members at the ED office but did not specify the nature of the case for which they were summoned.
Verma’s statement on social media read, “ED has now called my family. I have left my two sons Punarvasu and Tathagat and brother-in-law Tukendra Verma at the ED office. My wife Jaya has been called tomorrow. The agencies can do whatever they want at the behest of the central government but they cannot break the morale of @bhupeshbaghel ji and his team.”
The ED had previously recorded statements from Vinod Verma and the Chief Minister’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Manish Banchhore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on August 28.
The ED had conducted raids on the properties of Vinod Verma and two other OSDs, Ashish Verma and Manish Banchhore, on August 23 as part of a money laundering investigation into ‘Mahadev Online Book,’ an alleged illegal betting app.
The agency had alleged that the arrested police officer used his relationship with Vinod Verma and hawala funds received from Dubai to influence high-ranking officials and politicians connected to the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister’s Office.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had claimed that the ED and Income Tax department’s raids on his colleagues were malicious attempts to defame and suppress the Congress government in Chhattisgarh.
Vinod Verma had also held a press conference, asserting that he did not possess any ill-gotten wealth and referred to the ED raids as “dacoity,” alleging that jewelry was seized from his residence despite him producing purchase receipts.