The Jharkhand Excise and Prohibition Department is under serious scrutiny after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) uncovered a ₹38 crore liquor scam—the same case the state government had previously denied under oath in the High Court.
False Affidavit Filed by the Government
Back in April 2023, Deputy Commissioner (Excise), Dr. Rakesh Kumar, submitted an affidavit to the Jharkhand High Court claiming that no liquor scam had occurred in the department and that all allegations were baseless. This statement came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by citizen Umesh Kumar, alleging corruption in the issuance of liquor licenses.
However, the ACB’s recent investigation tells a very different story.
What the ACB Found
The ACB uncovered:
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A ₹38 crore scam, possibly part of a larger ₹200 crore irregularity,
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Falsification and misuse of funds linked to Jharkhand’s new excise policy introduced in May 2022,
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And illegal financial transactions tied to license distribution.
The department is now accused of misleading the High Court by submitting a false affidavit and attempting to downplay the scam.
Arrests Made So Far
Several top officials and individuals have already been arrested and sent to jail, including:
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IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey, former Principal Secretary,
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Gajendra Singh, Joint Excise Commissioner,
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Sudhir Kumar Das, Finance GM,
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Sudhir Kumar, GM Finance & Operations,
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And Neeraj Kumar Singh, local representative of Marshan Innovative Security Services (a placement agency).
What Triggered the Case?
The PIL filed by Umesh Kumar alleged that black money was being used in the issuance of liquor licenses. The court had asked both the Income Tax Department and the Jharkhand government to respond.
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The Income Tax Department stated it had no jurisdiction over the matter.
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The Excise Department, however, outright denied any wrongdoing, calling the PIL false.
Still, the government went on to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, which remains pending. Meanwhile, the High Court is continuing to hear the case suo motu, even after removing the original complainant.
