Ranchi: In a key development in the ongoing investigation into the alleged multi-crore Jharkhand liquor scam, the Special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court in Ranchi on Friday granted bail to Chhattisgarh-based businessman Siddharth Singhania and retired IAS officer Amit Prakash.
The ACB court had earlier reserved its order on Thursday after hearing extensive arguments from both the prosecution and defence on the bail application filed by Singhania. The verdict, delivered on Friday, marks a major relief for the two high-profile accused in the case.
Earlier Bail for Suspended IAS and Excise Officials
Singhania and Prakash are the latest to be granted bail in the high-profile liquor scam case. Previously, the same court had granted bail to Vinay Kumar Chaubey, a suspended Jharkhand-cadre IAS officer and former secretary to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, along with two officials from the state’s Excise Department.
Read also: Suspended IAS Vinay Kumar Choubey Gets Bail in Liquor Scam Case, Remains in Jail Over Land Probe
Default Bail After Delay in Chargesheet Filing
The bail was granted under the provisions of default bail, as the ACB failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of the FIR and arrests — a requirement under the Code of Criminal Procedure. This procedural delay enabled the accused to secure legal release from custody.
Background: Raids, Diary, and Alleged Syndicate Links
Singhania, a well-known liquor businessman based in Raipur, was arrested on June 19 following raids at his residence. He was brought to Ranchi on transit remand for interrogation in connection with a wider investigation that originated from a parallel probe into the Chhattisgarh liquor scam.
Retired IAS officer Amit Prakash was taken into custody earlier, on June 17, after allegedly ignoring summonses issued by the ACB.
During the raids at Singhania’s residence, investigators reportedly recovered a diary that allegedly contained incriminating entries detailing a “syndicate strategy” involving manipulation of excise officials, political lobbying, and efforts to control the liquor distribution chain in Jharkhand.
Read also: Former IAS Officer Amit Prakash Arrested in Jharkhand Liquor Scam
Majority of Accused Now Out on Bail
According to the ACB, 16 individuals have been named in the Jharkhand liquor scam case so far, with 12 arrested. With Friday’s bail orders, most of the accused—including key bureaucrats and businessmen—are now out on bail, even as the investigation continues.
