Jharkhand HC denies bail to ex-Hazaribagh DC Vinay Choubey in forest land case
Ranchi, April 28: The Jharkhand High Court has rejected the bail plea of Vinay Kumar Choubey in connection with a vigilance…
Ranchi, April 28: The Jharkhand High Court has rejected the bail plea of Vinay Kumar Choubey in connection with a vigilance case related to alleged illegal land mutation and corruption.
Allegations of misuse of official position
The court observed that Choubey, while serving as Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh, allegedly misused his official position to get gairmazurwa (forest) land mutated in favour of private individuals, including Binay Kumar Singh and Snigdha Singh, whom he had known for several years.
Statements recorded during the investigation, including that of then Circle Officer Alka Kumari, indicated that the mutation was carried out under pressure and directions from the petitioner, despite objections that the land was forest in nature and not eligible for mutation.
Questions over land ownership and process
The investigation also revealed that the vendor of the land was not the recorded owner, raising serious concerns over the legality of the mutation process. The court noted that such a mutation should not have been allowed under normal procedure.
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Money trail and financial irregularities
The court took note of the alleged money trail involving over Rs 3 crore, routed through a private company, Brahmhastra Education Pvt Ltd, where the petitioner’s family members were directors. The prosecution alleged that the company was used to layer illicit funds.
It was further observed that the petitioner’s expenditure and assets appeared disproportionate to his known sources of income during the relevant period.
Court cites risk of influencing witnesses
Opposing the bail plea, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) argued that several co-accused officials had acted under the petitioner’s directions, and there was a likelihood that he could influence witnesses if released.
Taking note of the materials on record and statements in the case diary, the court held that there was a reasonable apprehension of witness influence.
Bail plea rejected
“In view of the materials collected during investigation… this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioner on bail,” the court said in its order.
Choubey has been in custody since November 11, 2025, in connection with the ACB case registered in Hazaribagh. The charges include offences under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
