Fugitive businessman Vijay Bhatia, another key accused in Chhattisgarh’s sensational Rs 2200 crore liquor scam, was finally cornered and arrested by the State Economic Offences Investigation and Anti Corruption Bureau (SEOIACB) on Sunday in Delhi, marking a dramatic breakthrough in one of the state’s largest corruption cases. Bhatia, known for his political proximity to former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, had evaded capture for months before SEOIACB teams executed the operation under crime number 04/2024, booking him under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018), and IPC Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B. SEOIACB sources confirmed that Sunday’s search and seizure operations spanned Bhatia’s personal residence in Nehru Nagar East, his father’s home in Adarsh Nagar Durg, his furniture showroom in Sector-6 A Market, his factory in Hathkhoj Industrial Area, and his brother-in-law’s residence, also in Nehru Nagar East.

 

These sites were marked as high-priority targets due to their suspected links to financial flows, key operational activities, and business fronts related to the scam. Officials emphasised that the Sunday search-ops were carefully planned to simultaneously secure these locations, aiming to prevent any destruction or concealment of vital evidence and ensuring comprehensive recovery of sensitive documents, investment records, and digital data. Bhatia was swiftly flown to Raipur on Sunday and presented before the competent court under tight security, as part of the bureau’s escalating legal offensive.

 

The arrest comes alongside a series of parallel Sunday search-ops conducted at eight key locations linked to Bhatia, including his lavish Durg residence, corporate offices, and the properties of close business associates in Bhilai and beyond. Senior SEOIACB officials confirmed the seizure of critical documents during these search-ops, including financial documents, investment records, and multiple electronic devices. These items are now undergoing detailed examination as investigators work to trace fraudulent transactions, uncover hidden money trails, and tighten the net around other conspirators. After producing the accused in the court on Sunday, SEOIACB formally requested a 14-day police remand to conduct detailed custodial interrogation of Bhatia.

 

However, as the remand court lacked the powers of the special court, the judge ordered Bhatia to one-day judicial custody. According to senior SEOIACB sources, the bureau will present Bhatia again on Monday before the special court, where they plan to file a fresh application seeking extended police custody to advance the interrogation and evidence recovery process. According to SEOIACB sources, the ongoing investigation is proceeding with a focus on solid, objective evidence. Officers are preparing to summon additional suspects, match seized data against financial records, and involve forensic experts to decode complex digital evidence. “The bureau underscored that every step will be legally sound and fact-driven, with the overarching goal of building a watertight case to bring all responsible parties — regardless of influence or status — under the purview of the law and ensure their prosecution in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam,” the sources maintained.