The Rs 450 crore Jharkhand liquor scam has now been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following a formal complaint by Ranchi-based businessman Vikas Singh. The case, originally registered by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), has uncovered damning links to the infamous Rs 2,161 crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam—pointing to a powerful, well-connected syndicate that allegedly manipulated state excise policies for massive illicit gains.
The complaint by Singh alleged that senior officials from Chhattisgarh colluded with Jharkhand’s excise department to orchestrate a massive scam, resulting in a substantial revenue loss to the Jharkhand government. Central to this operation were controversial changes made to Jharkhand’s liquor policy in December 2022—ironically finalized during a high-level meeting not in Ranchi but in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
The meeting, according to sources, was attended by then Chhattisgarh Excise Secretary Arun Pati Tripathi (ITS), retired IAS officer Anil Tuteja, businessman Anwar Dhebar, BSP leader Arvind Singh, and key officials of Jharkhand’s excise department. Tripathi, who had previously been a pivotal figure in Chhattisgarh’s liquor affairs, was suspiciously roped in as an “advisor” for Jharkhand’s new excise policy—a move now under heavy scrutiny.
Despite multiple summons issued by Chhattisgarh EOW to Jharkhand IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey (then Excise Secretary), Joint Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh, and others, the Jharkhand government has refused to cooperate. No response was given to prosecution requests or official communications from the EOW—triggering the handover of the investigation to the CBI.
“This silence from the Jharkhand administration reeks of a cover-up,” an official source said. “The EOW has hit a wall due to deliberate non-cooperation, and the matter is now grave enough for the CBI to intervene.”
The accused in the sprawling scam include:
- Vinay Kumar Choubey: Then Jharkhand Excise Secretary
- Gajendra Singh: Joint Excise Commissioner of Jharkhand
- Rohit Oraon: Son of former Jharkhand Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon
- Arun Pati Tripathi: ITS officer, central figure in both Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand liquor scams
- Anil Tuteja: Retired IAS officer, already under scanner in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam
- Anwar Dhebar: Businessman with strong political links and key accused in both scams
Notably, the syndicate handling Jharkhand’s liquor business is believed to be the same that engineered Chhattisgarh’s Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam. Sources suggest that the involvement of senior politicians, including Jharkhand’s then Excise Minister and Chhattisgarh’s former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, cannot be ruled out. The CBI is expected to expand its investigation to probe this suspected nexus of bureaucrats, politicians, and businessmen operating across state lines.
The implications of the scam run deep, with policy manipulation, revenue leakage, and administrative complicity at its core.
