ED Raid in Chhattisgarh: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reached the final stage of its investigation into the high-profile liquor scam in Chhattisgarh and has filed the final charge sheet in court. The Supreme Court noted that the charge sheet was filed within the stipulated time. The charge sheet, which spans over 29,800 pages, includes extensive evidence, transaction details, and digital evidence. In a significant development, the ED’s Raipur zonal office had earlier arrested a retired IAS officer, Niranjan Das, in connection with the case.
Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam
Following his arrest on December 19, retired IAS officer Niranjan Das was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in Raipur, which remanded him to ED custody for three days, until December 22. The ED’s investigation stemmed from an FIR registered by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The investigation has unearthed a well-organised syndicate that was active during the previous Congress government (2019-2022) and caused significant losses to the state exchequer.
ED Raid in Chhattisgarh
This scam is estimated to have generated proceeds of crime (POC) exceeding ₹2,500 crore, while some estimates place the figure between ₹3,000 and ₹3,500 crore through illegal commissions, manipulation of liquor policies, and unaccounted liquor sales. According to the ED, Niranjan Das personally received approximately ₹18 crore in illicit funds. Evidence gathered from digital records, seized documents, and witness statements clearly establishes his active involvement as an accomplice in the liquor syndicate.
Chhattisgarh Scam News
As a senior IAS officer, Das was allegedly given the additional charge of Excise Commissioner and Secretary of the Excise Department to facilitate the execution of the scam. He is accused of deliberately neglecting his statutory duties, overlooking widespread revenue theft, and allowing the syndicate to operate unchecked. In return, he allegedly received a monthly payment of ₹50 lakh.
Das is further accused of instructing field officers to promote the sale of illegal and unaccounted liquor within their jurisdictions, making his role crucial in both the underlying corruption case and the subsequent money laundering. The scam revolved around a nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen who manipulated the procurement, distribution, and sale of liquor through the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL). The tactics included price manipulation, adulteration of country liquor, and the issuance of unauthorised holograms.
