Jharkhand IAS Officer Arrested In Alleged Multi-Crore Excise Scam, Sent To Judicial Custody

Jharkhand’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday (19 May) arrested two senior officials, including an IAS officer, in connection with an alleged multi-crore excise scam involving irregularities in liquor policy implementation, Indian Express reported.

The arrested officials are IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey, former Principal Secretary of the Department of Excise and Prohibition and ex-Managing Director of the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited (JSBCL), and Gajendra Singh, a Joint Commissioner in the same department.

The ACB has accused Chaubey of collaborating with a liquor syndicate from Chhattisgarh to draft a new liquor policy in Jharkhand, which allegedly caused a financial loss to the state government.

“He has been sent to judicial custody till June 3,” his lawyer Devesh Ajmani told reporters, as quoted by NDTV.

“We don't have any information on what grounds the ACB arrested him. He has medical conditions and we submitted medical reports before the court,” Ajmani said.

A press release from the bureau stated that both officials are suspected of misusing their positions by selecting placement agencies without adhering to established procedures and legal norms.

The investigation uncovered evidence pointing to criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and other offenses. The alleged misconduct has reportedly led to losses of around Rs 38 crore for the state government.

An FIR has been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including including 120B, 420, 467, 468, 471, 409, 407, 109, and corresponding sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018).

Following approval from the Cabinet Secretariat and the Vigilance Department, a special investigation team was formed by the ACB.