Probe Agency Arrests Chhattisgarh Excise Department Official In Liquor Scam

The special secretary of the Chhattisgarh Excise Department, arrested in a money laundering case, has been sent to three-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate. The money laundering case is linked to the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor syndicate scam in the state.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Arunpati Tripathi on Friday. Tripathi is the first government official to be arrested in the case.

The probe agency produced him before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court which remanded him in ED's custody for three days.

Tripathi, an Indian Telecom Service officer, is posted in the excise department on deputation. He is also the Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (which controls retail sale of all kinds of alcoholic beverages in the state), the probe agency's lawyer said.

The scam involved selective grant of licences to liquor manufacturers for commission, distribution of the collected money and collection of commission from liquor shops, he said.

The agency told the court that enough evidence was available against Tripathi regarding all three aspects.

The official will be again produced in the court along with co-accused Anwar Dhebar, Nitesh Purohit and Trilok Singh Dhillon alias Pappu (who were arrested earlier) on May 15.