Ranchi, Jharkhand: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), actively investigating the alleged liquor scam case under money laundering charges, has unearthed suspicious financial transactions involving the wife of 1999 batch senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey.
According to the federal agency’s findings, a sum of Rs 1.26 crore was transferred from the account of automobile businessman Vinay Kumar Singh’s company, Nextgen, to the account of Choubey’s wife, Swapna Sanchita, over a period of six years, from 2017 to 2023.
Payments Under Scrutiny: Consultant Fees Without Documentation
The significant amount was allegedly paid to Swapna Sanchita under the guise of “salary” for “consultant fees.” However, the ED has reportedly found no official documents or records substantiating Swapna Sanchita’s appointment or services as a consultant for Nextgen. This lack of documentation has raised red flags for the investigating agency, pointing towards potential irregularities in the transactions.
ED’s Investigation Rooted in Chhattisgarh FIR
The ED’s current investigation stems from an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered last year. This ECIR was based on an FIR initially lodged by the Economic Offences Unit of Chhattisgarh against IAS Vinay Kumar Choubey, who previously served as the Principal Secretary of Jharkhand’s Excise and Prohibition Department, along with Joint Commissioner of Excise Gajendra Singh, and other implicated individuals.
Following the registration of the ECIR, the ED conducted simultaneous raids last year at premises linked to Vinay Choubey, Gajendra Singh, Choubey’s relative Shipij Trivedi, and other associates. During these raids, the agency confiscated mobile phones and meticulously examined recovered documents and digital evidence, which subsequently revealed the details of these financial transactions.
Wife’s Resignation Post-Summons and Businessman’s Statement
Further complicating the matter, it has come to light that Swapna Sanchita resigned from her advisory position at Nextgen in 2023, specifically after Vinay Kumar Choubey was summoned for questioning by the ED in connection with the Chhattisgarh liquor scam case.
During his questioning by the ED, automobile businessman Vinay Kumar Singh confirmed the payments to Swapna Sanchita. He reportedly stated that Swapna Sanchita, an MBA graduate, had a long-standing familial relationship with Vinay Choubey’s family. Singh claimed he had verbally requested Swapna Sanchita to serve as a business consultant for his company, offering her a monthly “salary” ranging from one lakh to one and a quarter lakh rupees. He further elaborated that her role involved “data analysis” and “digital business” for Nextgen.
Read Also: Senior IAS Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey Suspended Over Liquor Scam in Jharkhand – Know the Case
The ED’s ongoing probe aims to ascertain the true nature of these financial transfers and whether they constitute a part of the alleged money laundering activities linked to the liquor scam.
