Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], May 21 (HBTV): The Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested IAS officer Vinay Choubey in connection with a liquor scam case, officials said. A Joint Commissioner of the Excise Department was also arrested in the case.

Choubey, who served as the Secretary of the Jharkhand Excise Department at the time of the alleged offence, had previously been named in the case by the Chhattisgarh ACB in September 2024.

Following an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Chhattisgarh ACB, the Jharkhand ACB had initiated a preliminary enquiry to probe the matter.

At present, Choubey holds the position of Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department. He had earlier served as Secretary to Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Alongside Choubey, the ACB also arrested Gajendra Singh, Joint Commissioner of the Excise Department. Both officials have been remanded to judicial custody till June 3.

Advocate Devesh Ajmani, representing Choubey, said: ‘This morning, while Vinay Choubey was in his residential chamber, he was taken in for an investigation. Thereafter, he was produced before the court and subsequently taken into custody. By filing an objection petition, we apprised the court that, as per settled principles laid down by the Supreme Court, we were not informed of the grounds of arrest, nor told what we were being charged with.’

‘The court has taken note of all these matters. We have also ensured that his health records are submitted before the court. There are two accused — one is Vinay Choubey, the other is Gajendra Kumar Singh. They have been sent to 15 days’ custody,’ he added.

Earlier, in October 2024, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the premises of Choubey and others in Ranchi in connection with the alleged liquor scam.

In August 2024, the ED in Raipur had arrested two individuals under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of its ongoing investigation into the liquor scam in Chhattisgarh.

The ED’s investigation is based on an FIR filed by the Chhattisgarh ACB and EOW under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the agency, the liquor scam — which took place between 2019 and 2022 — involved corruption carried out through multiple methods.

(ANI)