On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched operations at 17 locations associated with IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey, excise officer Gajendra Singh, and various businesses in connection with a liquor scam in Chhattisgarh.
The raids are taking place in both Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, targeting sites believed to be connected to the investigation.
In September, an FIR was filed by Chhattisgarh’s anti-corruption bureau and Economic Offences Wing against a group of seven individuals, including Vinay Kumar Chaubey, who previously served as Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Hemant Soren during the implementation of the state’s 2022 Excise Policy. Chaubey is currently the Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department in Jharkhand. The FIR alleges that the group significantly harmed the state’s finances and influenced changes to liquor policies in the region.
The FIR also claims that under Chaubey’s direction, along with former Excise Joint Commissioner Gajendra Singh, officers in the Jharkhand Excise and Prohibition Department manipulated tendering processes to benefit Debar and his associates in obtaining contracts related to liquor supply.
In a controversial move, the officials introduced a stipulation requiring applicants for a liquor wholesaler license to demonstrate a minimum turnover of Rs 100 crore over two consecutive financial years, further tightening control over the licensing process.
