21 Premises Raided By Anti Corruption Bureau In Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam

Chhattisgarh's Anti Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing on Thursday conducted searches at 21 premises in connection with the alleged liquor scam unearthed during the previous Congress government in the state.

The search covered nine locations in Raipur district, seven in Durg, four in Bilaspur and one in Rajnandgaon, an official statement said.

"In the searches, Rs 19 lakh cash, electronic equipment like laptops, pen drives, bank statements, documents related to movable and immovable assets, jewellery worth several crore rupees, documents on investments worth several crore rupees were seized," it said.

The action covered premises of businessmen, including those dealing in liquor, sources said.

According to officials, 70 persons, including several Congress, and companies have been named in the FIR lodged early this year by ACB/EOW related to the alleged liquor scam.

The FIR, under Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code, is based on a report of the Enforcement Directorate, which has also been probing the case.

In its report to the ACB/EOW, the ED had claimed criminal acts were committed by certain senior officials in connivance with private and influential persons for causing loss to the state government and undue illegal profits to themselves in liquor trade.

It had said a criminal syndicate operating in Chhattisgarh was extorting commission on the sale of liquor and was also involved in unauthorised sale of unaccounted liquor through government liquor shops.

This syndicate comprises senior bureaucrats, politicians, their associates and officials of the excise department, it said. As per the ED, the proceeds of crime generated totalled Rs 2,161 crore.

In July last year, the ED had submitted a prosecution complaint (charge-sheet) in the alleged liquor scam case in a PMLA court in Raipur.

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