The Chhattisgarh Economic Offence wing (EOW) on Wednesday (July 8, 2026) said that it has arrested Congress State treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal in connection with the alleged coal and liquor scams. Mr. Agrawal, said an EOW official, was absconding for quite some time and is accused of receiving crores of rupees.
It is alleged that during the investigation of the coal levy case, entries amounting to crores in the name of Congress Bhawan (State Congress Headquarters) were found in the diary of Suryakant Tiwari, alleged kingpin of the said scam.
The coal levy case pertains to the investigating agencies’ claim that an illegal levy of ₹0.25 per tonne was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in the State by a cartel during the previous Congress regime in the State.
“The investigation so far has revealed that the said amount was received by Ram Gopal Agrawal at Congress Bhawan. In this regard, Ram Gopal Agrawal is being questioned regarding the diary entry, the source of the funds, the individuals who delivered the funds, the recipients, and their use,” the ACB EOW official said.
Mr. Agrawal is now in EOW custody and will be questioned, the official added.
In addition to the coal levy case, he will also be questioned regarding the liquor case, the paddy case, and other related matters. “In the liquor case, the investigation so far has revealed that Anwar Dhebar and his associates delivered crores of rupees to Ramgopal Agrawal at Congress Bhavan. In this regard, they will be questioned regarding the delivery of the money, the role of the individuals involved, the use of the funds, and other related matters,” the official said.
The alleged paddy scam involves illegal recovery worth around ₹140 crores made from rice millers in the State during the Kharif marketing season 2021-22 when Chhattisgarh was governed by the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government.
“Investigation has revealed the delivery of crores of rupees by Roshan Chandrakar to Ram Gopal Agrawal at Congress Bhavan. He will be questioned regarding the collection, transportation, receipt, use, and the role of the individuals involved,” the official said of the investigation and Mr. Agrawal's purported role in the custom milling case.
He added that Mr Agrawal's son, Vaibhav Agrawal, was also questioned by the EOW for the past two days.
State Congress spokesperson Surendra Verma said that though Mr. Agrawal officially held the post of the treasurer, he had been absconding for some time and was not handling the responsibility.
Published - July 09, 2026 10:33 am IST