C’garh MLA moves to Malkangiri

Bhubaneswar: Reclamation Colony in Malkangiri district has become the temporary residence of former Chhattisgarh excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, who has been directed by the Supreme Court to stay outside the State in connection with two alleged liquor scam cases, Congress leaders said.

The Supreme Court, while granting bail to the five-time tribal legislator from Bastar’s Konta constituency, has directed him to stay outside Chhattisgarh during the pendency of the investigation. In Malkangiri, the Konta MLA received a rousing reception from Congress leaders and workers upon his arrival on Saturday.

A house has been rented for him at Reclamation Colony, district Congress president Sirnivas Rao said. “In accordance with the apex court’s direction, I chose Malkangiri to stay during the period because the language, tradition, culture, and food are similar with Bastar area in Chhattisgarh,” he told mediapersons in Malkangiri. Lakhma said he used to frequent Malkangiri district during elections and other purposes. “I will continue to fight for the poor tribals,” he said.

“If he wanted, he could have gone to any other State. But, he selected Malkangiri to stay in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order. We are very happy to host Lakhma in Malkangiri,” said Rao.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to Lakhma in two alleged liquor scam cases lodged by the Enforcement Directorate and the State police separately. He was arrested by the ED on January 15, 2025 and he had been in jail under judicial custody since then. The Congress leader was released from the Raipur Central Jail on February 4. The investigation focuses on a multi-crore liquor scam estimated to have cost the State exchequer over Rs 2,100 crore between 2019 and 2022.

Although barred from entering the State, Lakhma had recently requested Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh for permission to attend the upcoming budget session starting February 23.