Rs 2,000 Crore Liquor Scam In Chhattisgarh: Enforcement Directorate

An alleged liquor scam worth more than Rs 2,000 crore has been unearthed in Chhattisgarh, the Enforcement Directorate has claimed, at a time when a similar case in Delhi continues to make headlines. The central agency has alleged that an IAS officer and a liquor baron are the "kingpins" of the alleged scam.

Liquor businessman Anwar Dhebar, the brother of Congress leader and Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar, was arrested in the case by the Enforcement Directorate or ED on Saturday.

The agency said IAS officer Anil Tuteja, posted as joint secretary in the state's industry and commerce department, and Mr Dhebar were the "kingpins" of a syndicate, comprising high-level state government officials, private persons and political executives.

It said its probe has found that 30 to 40 per cent of the total liquor sold in the state between 2019 and 2022 was illegal. This 30 to 40 per cent of country liquor was sold along with listed branded liquor at govt stores and the revenue did not go to the government.

The "massive scam" in the liquor trade generated corruption money of more than Rs 2,000 crore between 2019-22, the ED claimed, adding it was used for electioneering among other things.

The Enforcement Directorate also claims it has evidence of an exchange of Rs 14.41 crore between the liquor baron and the IAS officer.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has rubbished the allegations and dubbed the ED's claim as "false and baseless". "As the Assembly polls were nearing in the state, the disappointed BJP was trying to defame the Congress government using the ED", he claimed.

The state polls are due this year-end.

"It was the Raman Singh-led BJP government's decision to sell liquor through a corporation in 2017 in the state. No change was made in distilleries, officers, transporters and placement agencies linked to the liquor trade in the state since 2017. The revenue collection from liquor increased from Rs 3,900 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 6,000 crore in 2022-23 which clearly shows that the ED's claim of a decline in revenue collection due to alleged corruption is baseless," Mr Baghel said.

The BJP has been using the ED to hatch a conspiracy to defame the state government as the Assembly election is nearing in the state," he added.

His remarks echo several opposition leaders' charge that the central government has been allegedly using probe agencies to target non-BJP leaders.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has conducted audits of the state's excise department and given it a clean chit, he claimed.

The BJP has, meanwhile, targeted the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government over the alleged scam.

"Bhupesh Baghel ji, who swore with holy Ganga water in his hand, and the Congress party told where the money of liquor went, robbery was done in the government treasury. In 15 years, the debt that was not given in Chhattisgarh was a debt of one lakh crore. Along with raiding the treasury, the health of the public has also been played with. Fake liquor has been sold in a government shop by forming a private company. There is a scam of 2000 crores,'' alleged BJP MP Santosh Pandey.

The Income Tax Department has filed a charge sheet against Anil Tuteja in a Delhi court, on the basis of which the Enforcement Directorate had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act or PMLA last year.

The allegations are seen as an embarrassment for the Baghel government in the election year.

The ED's allegations come months after the CBI started probing that the liquor policy implemented by the Delhi government last year, which ended government control over the sale of liquor in the capital, gave undue advantages to private retailers. It alleged the involvement of the "highest levels" of Arvind Kejriwal's government in the swindle.

Manish Sisodia's arrest by the CBI in February was the highest-profile arrest in the case so far. He was arrested by the ED in March in a money laundering case related to the scam.