Former Excise Secretaries Manoj Kumar and Mukesh Kumar Under Investigation for Alleged Irregularities
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jharkhand has intensified its probe into the state’s alleged ₹38-crore liquor scam, issuing summons to two senior IAS officers — Manoj Kumar and Mukesh Kumar — for interrogation soon after the Chhath festival. Both officers previously headed the Excise and Prohibition Department, which lies at the center of the corruption inquiry.
Expanding Investigation Into Liquor Trade Irregularities
According to ACB officials, the questioning of the two IAS officers is part of the next phase of the investigation aimed at exposing manipulation in liquor trade management, tender allocation, and contract implementation.
The bureau suspects large-scale procedural lapses and misuse of official authority during their tenure, particularly in relation to vendor appointments and financial clearances.
Several Senior Officials and Businessmen Already Booked
The liquor scam—estimated at ₹38 crore—has been under investigation since early this year. The ACB has already detained multiple bureaucrats and private individuals in connection with the case, including:
IAS officer Vinay Choubey, former Excise Secretary
Former IAS officer Amit Prakash
Excise Officer Gajendra Singh
JSBCL General Manager (retired) Sudhir Kumar Das
GM (Operations & Finance) Sudhir Kumar, and several businessmen
All arrested individuals have since been released on bail after the ACB could not file a chargesheet within the mandated 90-day period. However, the bureau has clarified that the investigation remains ongoing, with further financial audits and interrogations planned.
Focus on Transparency and Administrative Reforms
Officials within the ACB revealed that the inquiry extends beyond criminal liability to address systemic loopholes in the Excise Department’s administrative practices. The probe aims to expose how procurement norms and financial protocols were allegedly bypassed in granting contracts for liquor distribution.
The bureau intends to use its findings to recommend governance reforms, promote fiscal accountability, and tighten compliance frameworks in state-run corporations.
Reforms Underway in Jharkhand’s Excise Policy
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand government is undertaking a broader policy overhaul to bring transparency and efficiency to the liquor business. New measures under consideration include digital monitoring of liquor sales, automated inventory tracking, and auditable vendor selection systems.
Officials involved in the reform process have confirmed that insights from the ACB probe will feed directly into the state’s upcoming excise policy, ensuring better safeguards against corruption and improved revenue management.
