THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Dec 18: BJP Jharkhand state president and Leader of the Opposition, Babulal Marandi, on Thursday targeted Chief Minister Hemant Soren over the ongoing liquor scam investigation being conducted by the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Addressing a press conference, Marandi alleged that IAS officer Vinay Chaubey, currently in jail in connection with the case, was not the only official involved and that Chief Minister Hemant Soren was also implicated in the scandal.
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ACB Probe Faces Credibility Questions
He claimed that the ACB’s questioning of former Excise Commissioners—Amit Kumar, Karn Satyarthi, and Faiz Ahmed—had yielded almost identical statements, raising suspicions of coordinated testimony to shield senior officials.
Marandi said the statements revealed serious corruption, pointing out that the former commissioners were allegedly pressured by secretaries to act against rules to benefit selected liquor licensees.
He questioned why the officers did not record any notes of such undue pressure in official files or raise complaints with the Chief Secretary or the Chief Minister. According to Marandi, their repeated scripted responses suggested they had been instructed to protect higher authorities.
Earlier Warnings Ignored, Alleged Cover-Up
The BJP leader also highlighted that he had alerted the Chief Minister about potential irregularities in the liquor department as early as 2022, but no action was reportedly taken. He accused government officials of attempting to protect the Chief Minister through the current ACB investigation.
Marandi further criticized the ACB, alleging that its Director-General himself faced corruption charges, casting doubt on the bureau’s credibility and impartiality.
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Call for CBI Probe and Accountability of Officials
Marandi demanded that if CM Soren is truly “untainted,” the case should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fair and transparent probe.
He also raised concerns about the posting of former commissioners, who allegedly acted under pressure, to key administrative positions such as District Magistrates, questioning their ability to serve with integrity in such roles.
The press conference was attended by BJP media in-charge Shivpujan Pathak and deputy media in-charge Yogendra Pratap Singh.
