Senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey, from the 1999 Jharkhand cadre, has been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in a major development related to the alleged Jharkhand liquor scam.
Mr. Choubey was taken into custody on Tuesday after extensive interrogation by ACB officials. His arrest marks a significant milestone in the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the state’s excise policy. Authorities claim he played a central role in manipulating policy decisions during his tenure as Secretary of the Excise Department, resulting in substantial losses to the state exchequer.
Background of the Case
In September 2024, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the ACB filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr. Choubey. The FIR accuses him of spearheading policy changes between 2022 and 2023 that allegedly enabled the operations of a corrupt liquor syndicate.
According to the FIR, Mr. Choubey worked in collusion with a network of officials and businessmen, including:
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Former IAS officer Anil Tuteja
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Businessman Anwar Dheber
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Former MD of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation, Arunpati Tripathi
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Former Excise Commissioner of Chhattisgarh and IAS officer, Niranjan Das
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Arvind Singh, a key member of the alleged syndicate
The complaint alleges that this group rigged tender processes to favor select vendors, introduced counterfeit holograms to distribute unaccounted domestic liquor, and illegally supplied foreign liquor. These activities reportedly generated illegal commissions amounting to crores of rupees.
Wider Implications
The scam is believed to have caused significant revenue losses for the Jharkhand government and exposed deep-rooted collusion between bureaucrats and private players within the liquor trade.
The case is part of a broader investigation involving similar corruption allegations in Chhattisgarh, suggesting a well-coordinated inter-state network.
With Mr. Choubey’s arrest, the probe is expected to gain momentum. The ACB is likely to summon more officials and business associates for questioning in the days ahead. Meanwhile, the Jharkhand government has yet to release an official statement on the matter.
