THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Oct 29: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted raids on over 15 locations linked to IAS officer Vinay Chaubey and Joint Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh in a liquor scam case registered in Chhattisgarh.
A senior ED officer confirmed these raids were conducted in Ranchi and Raipur.
Notably, Chhattisgarh’s Anti-Corruption Bureau and Economic Offence Wing (EOW) has lodged an FIR against seven individuals, including Chaubey, for allegedly causing a huge loss to the exchequer and altering the state’s liquor policy.
The ED action follows after the Supreme Court rejected Gajendra Singh’s petition to quash the FIR.
Sources said the ED sleuths seized some incriminating papers during raids, which will prove vital for the ongoing investigation. There was no report of seizure of any cash till the report was filed.
Notably, Vinay Chaubey, a 1999 batch Jharkhand cadre IAS officer, previously served as secretary to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and was considered as one of the most powerful bureaucrats in Jharkhand. He also held the post of Secretary in the Excise and Urban Development departments. However, he was shunted to the Panchayati raj department after Soren resigned following his arrest in the land scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already interrogated both the officers in the context of their alleged involvement in the liquor scam.
Chaubey happens to be the fifth IAS officer in Jharkhand who is being investigated by the ED. Others included Pooja Singhal, Chhavi Ranjan, Manish Ranjan and Ram Niwas Yadav.
(To be updated)