Raipur: In a significant development in the ongoing Chhattisgarh liquor scam investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, has arrested retired IAS officer Niranjan Das. He faces charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Following his arrest on December 19, Das was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in Raipur, which remanded him to ED custody for three days until December 22.
Background of the Investigation
The ED’s probe is based on an FIR lodged by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Investigations have revealed a well-organized syndicate that allegedly operated during the previous Congress government (2019–2022), causing massive losses to the state exchequer.
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Scale of the Scam
The scam is estimated to have generated proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 2,500 crore, with some estimates placing it between Rs 3,000–3,500 crore. Illicit activities included manipulation of liquor policies, unchecked sale of unaccounted liquor, and illegal commissions. The ED claims Niranjan Das personally received around Rs 18 crore in illegal funds, including monthly payments of Rs 50 lakh, for facilitating the syndicate’s operations.
Role of Niranjan Das
Das, a senior IAS officer, was allegedly given additional charge as Excise Commissioner and Secretary of the Excise Department, which enabled the execution of the scam. Instead of fulfilling his statutory responsibilities, he reportedly instructed field officers to promote the sale of illicit liquor and allegedly facilitated the laundering of proceeds. Evidence from digital records, documents, and witness statements indicates his active involvement in the syndicate, which included politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen.
Methods Employed by the Syndicate
The scam involved manipulation of the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL) operations, price fixing, adulteration of country-made liquor, and issuance of unauthorized holograms, among other illegal practices.
Other Arrests in the Case
Several high-profile individuals have already been arrested, including –
- Retired IAS officer Anil Tuteja
- Businessmen Arvind Singh, Trilok Singh Dhillon, and Anwar Dhebar
- ITS officer Arun Pati Tripathi
- Former Excise Minister and MLA Kawasi Lakhma
- Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel
- Former Deputy Secretary Soumya Chaurasia
The ED investigation is ongoing, with authorities tracing additional financial trails and identifying other potential beneficiaries of the scam.
