Chhattisgarh Mega Scam Uncovered: Four Central Agencies Expose Deep-Rooted Administrative and Political Corruption
What began as a tax raid in 2020 has escalated into one of the most significant multi-agency investigations in India’s history, revealing a massive ₹7,000 crore scam in Chhattisgarh. Over the past five years, four top investigative agencies—the Income Tax Department (IT), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Economic Offences Wing (EOW), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—have jointly filed over 11 FIRs involving more than 150 bureaucrats, political figures, and businessmen.
To date, more than 50 arrests have been made, and over 25 charge sheets have been filed. However, no final charge sheet has been submitted yet, indicating that the legal and investigative process is still ongoing.
How It All Began: A February 2020 Raid Triggers a Chain Reaction
The origins of the scam can be traced back to a raid by the Income Tax Department in February 2020. Initial findings led to an investigation by the ED, which subsequently sparked parallel probes by the EOW and CBI into various sectors, including the liquor trade, coal transport, DMF funds, custom milling, tendu leaves bonuses, and even digital gambling apps such as Mahadev Satta.
Multiple Chargesheets Filed, But Final Prosecution Still Pending
ED Filings:
4 in Liquor Scam
4 in Coal Transport Scam
3 in Mahadev App Scam
2 in DMF Scam
1 in Custom Milling Scam
EOW Filings:
5 in Liquor Scam
2 in Coal Transport
1 each in DMF, Custom Milling, Tendu Patta Bonus, and Bharatmala Compensation Scam
CBI Filings:
1 in PSC Recruitment Scam
Ongoing investigation into the Mahadev App case
Despite the numerous investigations and filings, no trial has concluded, and no final charge sheet has been submitted in any of the cases.
Prominent Figures Under Scrutiny
Political Leaders:
Kawasi Lakhma
Chaitanya Baghel
Devendra Yadav
Chandradev Rai
RP Singh
Ramgopal Agarwal
Vinod Tiwari
IAS Officers:
Ranu Sahu
Sameer Vishnoi
Jaiprakash Maurya
Anil Tuteja
Taman Singh Sonwani
Vivek Dhand
Niranjan Das
IPS Officers:
Anand Chhabra
Sheikh Arif
Prashant Agarwal
Abhishek Pallav
Other Senior Officials (ITS, RPSC, etc.):
Arunpati Tripathi (ITS)
Manoj Soni (ITS)
Saumya Chaurasia (RPSC)
Maya Warrier, Nirbhay Sahu, Lalit Ganvir, Aarti Vasnik, Abhishek Maheshwari, Sanjay Dhruv
Businessmen:
Suryakant Tiwari
Anwar Dhebar
Sunil Agarwal
Ravi Uppal
Amit Agarwal
Pappu Bansal
Saurabh Chandrakar
Trilok Singh Dhillon
Forest, Excise, and Police Officers:
Ashok Patel
Rajshekhar Puranik
CB Verma
Arjun Yadav
Jarnadan Kaurav
Neetu Notani
Dinkar Vasnik
Saurabh Bakshi
Case Highlights and Focus on Individuals
Ranu Sahu (IAS): Involved in misusing DMF funds, irregularities in custom milling, and illegal coal transport.
Anil Tuteja (Retd. IAS): Named in both the liquor and Naan scams.
Saumya Chaurasia (Ex-Deputy Secretary): Investigated for disproportionate assets and connections to coal transport networks.
Arunpati Tripathi (ITS): Under multi-state investigation for involvement in the liquor scam.
Anwar Dhebar & Suryakant Tiwari: Central figures in the liquor scam spanning multiple departments.
Unanswered Questions and Public Pressure
Despite the large number of arrests, extensive documentation, and the involvement of multiple agencies, the judicial system has yet to deliver a verdict. The delay in final charge sheets and prosecutions raises concerns over whether this massive investigation will lead to real convictions, or if it will simply serve as a political tool without closure.
With the state’s administrative credibility under scrutiny and public confidence in anti-corruption systems diminishing, the key question remains:
Will justice be served, or will this mega-scam fade into legal limbo?
