Chhattisgarh liquor scam: Retired IAS officer Niranjan Das arrested
Chhattisgarh ACB/EOW arrested retired IAS officer Niranjan Das in the Rs 2,500 crore liquor scam linked to unaccounted sales and flawed excise policy
In the latest development in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) arrested retired IAS officer Niranjan Das. He allegedly helped the syndicate that handled and operated the 'scam'.
Das was then the Commissioner of the State Excise Department and was to be produced in a local court on Friday.
According to an official, Das allegedly received undue benefits worth crores of rupees in return for the sale of unaccounted liquor in state-run liquor shops, transfer of officers, manipulation of tender process, cooperation in bringing in a flawed liquor policy and other ways to benefit the syndicate.
According to officials, Das was a Chhattisgarh state cadre officer who was later promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He is the second former IAS officer to be arrested in the case.
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Rs 2,500 crore liquor scam
The Enforcement Directorate alleged that a scam of more than Rs 2,500 crore was orchestrated between 2019 and 2022 when Chhattisgarh was under the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government. The ED has been investigating the money laundering part of the scam.
The ACB/EOW registered an FIR on January 17 last year in connection with the 'liquor scam' and named 70 individuals and companies, including former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma and former Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand.
The move followed BJP's victory in the 2023 assembly polls. The EOW/ ACB had so far filed one chargesheet and four supplementary chargesheets in the case and arrested more than a dozen persons.
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Former CM's son arrested
The ED arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, in July, while former minister and Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma was held in January in the case.
The ED said that a criminal syndicate operating in Chhattisgarh was extorting illegal commission in the sale of liquor and was involved in unauthorised sales through government liquor shops.
The anti-money laundering agency also arrested businessman Anwar Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi, among others, as part of their investigations in the case.