The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its ongoing investigation into the alleged Jharkhand liquor scam under money laundering provisions, has uncovered financial transactions raising serious concerns about the involvement of senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey’s family.
According to ED findings, a total of ₹1.26 crore was transferred between 2017 and 2023 from the account of automobile businessman Vinay Kumar Singh’s firm, Nextgen, to the bank account of Choubey’s wife, Swapna Sanchita. Choubey is a 1999-batch IAS officer who previously served as Principal Secretary in the Jharkhand Excise and Prohibition Department.
Consultancy Payments in Question: No Supporting Records Found
The ED has flagged these payments as suspect, noting they were made under the pretext of “consultancy fees” or “salary.” However, investigators found no documentation proving that Swapna Sanchita was formally appointed as a consultant by Nextgen, nor any evidence of services rendered. The absence of contractual or employment records has led the agency to suspect the transactions may be part of a broader money laundering operation.
Investigation Originates from Chhattisgarh FIR
The case stems from an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered by the ED based on a First Information Report filed by the Economic Offences Unit of Chhattisgarh. The FIR named Vinay Kumar Choubey, Excise Joint Commissioner Gajendra Singh, and other individuals in connection with alleged irregularities in liquor trade and excise revenue.
Following the ECIR, the ED launched a series of coordinated raids last year at properties linked to Choubey, Singh, Choubey’s relative Shipij Trivedi, and other associates. Several mobile phones were seized, and documents and digital data were examined, which eventually revealed the trail of payments made to Swapna Sanchita.
Resignation and Revelations: Swapna Sanchita Steps Down After ED Summons
Further developments indicate that Swapna Sanchita resigned from her role as an advisor at Nextgen in 2023—shortly after her husband Vinay Choubey was summoned by the ED for questioning in the liquor scam probe.
During interrogation, businessman Vinay Kumar Singh acknowledged that the payments had been made. He claimed that Sanchita, an MBA graduate and family acquaintance of the Choubeys, was verbally asked to provide business consultancy services. Singh stated she was paid a monthly salary ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.25 lakh for work related to “data analysis” and “digital strategy” for Nextgen.
Ongoing Investigation
The ED continues to probe the legitimacy of these financial arrangements, examining whether the payments were genuine business transactions or a cover for illicit financial flows connected to the liquor scam. The case has further intensified scrutiny on bureaucratic accountability and the use of family networks in alleged corruption.
