SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Jan 6: When the Jharkhand High Court rejected the bail plea of senior IAS officer and former Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey earlier this month, the order did more than deny him immediate relief. It reopened an uncomfortable conversation around how public land, administrative power and alleged financial impropriety intersected during his tenure—and why investigators believe the impact may span thousands of acres.
At the heart of the court’s January 6 order lies the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s claim that nearly 5,000 acres of land in Hazaribagh district were illegally transacted when Choubey was heading the district administration between 2008 and 2010.
The Allegation: Land That Should Never Have Moved
According to the ACB, the lands involved were not ordinary private plots but protected and government-controlled categories—including forest land, gair majaruwa aam land, Sarkari khas mahal land, Lakheraj, Kesher-e-Hind and trust land.
Such land, by law, is either non-transferable or subject to stringent oversight. Investigators allege that these protections were steadily eroded through lease renewals, name substitutions and transfer recommendations, eventually allowing large tracts to pass into private hands.
The High Court, while careful not to prejudge the trial, noted that the materials placed before it prima facie suggest systemic irregularities rather than clerical error.
The District Collector’s Office Under Scrutiny
As Deputy Commissioner, Choubey was not merely another official in the chain. The post places its occupant as the custodian of land records, revenue administration and registration processes—making the office central to any movement of government land.
The court recorded that files relating to khas mahal land renewal and transfer were processed and recommended during Choubey’s tenure. Eventually, land settled in the name of deity Sri Sri Mahavir Ji, later renewed in favour of sevayats, was transferred to 23 private individuals through power-of-attorney holders.
Khas Mahal Land: From Deity to Deal
The transformation of khas mahal land forms the backbone of the prosecution’s case. Originally settled decades ago, the land’s status underwent multiple administrative stages before being transferred.
The ACB alleges that procedural safeguards were diluted, enabling the conversion of religious and government land into private property, contrary to established norms.
The court observed that documents placed on record suggest that recommendations and approvals at the district level played a key role in facilitating these transactions.
What the Witnesses Told Investigators
Witness statements, referred to in the High Court order, lend weight to the ACB’s narrative.
Purchasers told investigators that the power-of-attorney holders projected strong links with senior district officials, assuring them that land transfers would face no hurdles. Some witnesses stated that these intermediaries frequently visited the Deputy Commissioner’s office when Choubey was posted in Hazaribagh.
The court noted that these statements form part of the case diary and contribute to the prima facie case of involvement through intermediaries.
The Money Trail and the Scale of the Probe
Beyond land, investigators have flagged a financial dimension. The case diary refers to Rs 3.16 crore in cash deposits in a private company where Choubey’s wife and brother-in-law are directors.
The ACB has also indicated that the probe is far from over, with investigations against sevayats and other intermediaries still pending—suggesting that the alleged 5,000-acre figure may only reflect what has surfaced so far.
A Parallel Shadow: The Liquor Scam Investigation
Compounding the land case is the fact that Choubey is also facing investigation in the Jharkhand liquor scam, a separate probe examining alleged irregularities in the state’s excise and liquor policy framework.
While the liquor case was not the subject of the bail hearing, its mention adds another layer to the scrutiny surrounding the officer’s administrative record and reinforces the breadth of investigative attention currently focused on him.
Why Bail Was Denied
In denying bail, the High Court placed heavy emphasis on the nature of economic and white-collar crimes, citing Supreme Court rulings that caution against a lenient approach in cases involving deep-rooted conspiracies and large public loss.
The court also accepted the ACB’s apprehension that a senior IAS officer, with decades of institutional access, could influence witnesses or tamper with documentary evidence—a concern strengthened by the fact that uncertified official documents were annexed by Choubey even while in custody.
A Case Larger Than One Officer
The allegations, if ultimately proven, point to something larger than individual wrongdoing. They raise uncomfortable questions about how public land changes hands, how oversight fails, and how administrative discretion can be weaponised.
For Jharkhand, a state where land remains central to livelihoods, identity and conflict, the alleged illegal transaction of nearly 5,000 acres represents not just a legal battle, but a test of institutional accountability.
As investigations continue—across land and liquor—the January 6 High Court order stands as a reminder that the most consequential corruption cases often unfold slowly, layer by layer, long after the files have moved on.
