In a high-stakes probe that could have far-reaching implications, the Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has interrogated IAS officer Vinay Chaubey in connection with a sprawling liquor scam linked to a Chhattisgarh-based syndicate. The scam, which allegedly siphoned off crores of rupees through illicit liquor distribution using forged holograms, is believed to have spanned multiple years and jurisdictions.
Chaubey, who served as the Secretary of the Excise Department in Jharkhand between 2019 and 2022, was questioned at the ACB headquarters in Ranchi. According to officials, during his tenure, the liquor policy in Jharkhand was altered—allegedly under the influence of a syndicate operating from Raipur. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Chhattisgarh, which first flagged the syndicate’s activities, linked key bureaucrats and traders to an organized racket that exploited loopholes in liquor procurement and distribution.
The Chhattisgarh Syndicate’s Jharkhand Expansion
The origins of the scam trace back to Chhattisgarh, where officials and liquor contractors allegedly colluded to defraud the state exchequer through ghost supply chains and doctored invoices. Among the accused are high-profile individuals, including former IAS officers Anil Tuteja and AP Tripathi, as well as businessman Anwar Dhebar. Their activities reportedly caused a loss of revenue worth thousands of crores to the Chhattisgarh government.
The syndicate’s reach didn’t stop at state borders. In Jharkhand, investigators found that the same modus operandi had been replicated. Liquor was supplied from Chhattisgarh using fake holograms, bypassing local checks and regulations. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) later confirmed that Jharkhand’s excise policy was allegedly amended to suit the interests of this powerful liquor syndicate—an amendment that coincided with Chaubey’s time in office.
Denials, FIRs, and Political Shockwaves
Chaubey has maintained his innocence, stating that the excise policy changes were made with government approval and denying any direct involvement in wrongdoing. However, his name features in the FIR filed by the EOW based on a complaint by Vikas Singh, a resident of Ranchi, who first exposed the syndicate’s interstate operations.
Following the FIR and with requisite government permission, Jharkhand ACB launched a preliminary enquiry which has now matured into a formal investigation. The move comes amid rising political scrutiny, especially with the opposition raising questions about the complicity of senior officers and the role of state apparatus in facilitating corruption.
What adds to the gravity of the situation is the central role played by excise departments—crucial revenue-generating bodies for state governments. The case throws light on how bureaucratic manipulation, coupled with weak oversight, can allow organized crime networks to exploit state policies for massive financial gain.
As Jharkhand ACB digs deeper, more high-ranking officials may come under the radar. With the case already having political and administrative ripples across two states, the alleged liquor scam might emerge as one of the largest inter-state corruption scandals in recent times—where bureaucrats, businessmen, and policymakers formed an unholy nexus to loot the state exchequer.
