The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has made a significant move in the investigation of the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, valued at ₹2,161 crore, by naming more than 29 excise officials as accused. These officials are accused of working with a syndicate to illicitly sell alcohol and receive substantial commissions.
The EOW investigation revealed that officials received ₹150 per case of liquor as commission, which was then allegedly invested in real estate and other business ventures. The fifth charge sheet will be submitted on July 5 in the special court (ACB-EOW) following the conclusion of the investigation. Notices have been sent to the accused, instructing them to appear in court at 11 am. Following receipt of the notices, several officials have either gone missing or have ceased using their mobile phones. Janardan Kaurav is identified as the primary coordinator of the syndicate and was reportedly close to Special Secretary Arunpati Tripathi. Kaurav was in charge of various aspects, from transfers and postings to the unauthorized distribution of liquor.
The illegal activities spanned from 2019 to 2023, generating ₹2,174.60 crore from the illegal sale of 60 lakh cases of liquor. Officials are believed to have collected ₹319 crore from suppliers. The charge sheet lists names such as Vikas Goswami, Neetu Notani, Dinkar Vasnik, and Ravish Tiwari. Of the implicated officials, 16 are still active employees, and 12 have already retired. The EOW stated that arrests will be made only with court authorization, and warrants will be issued for those who fail to appear.