Senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey, currently serving as Principal Secretary of Jharkhand’s Panchayati Raj Department, was arrested by the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday in connection with a multi-crore excise scam. The 1999-batch bureaucrat was remanded to judicial custody till June 3 and lodged at Birsa Munda Central Jail, Hotwar, following hours of interrogation.
The ACB action comes as part of a wider probe into alleged irregularities in liquor shop operations and excise policy manipulation during Choubey’s tenure as Secretary of the Excise Department. He previously also held the post of Managing Director of the Jharkhand State Beverage Corporation Ltd, a central entity in the scam investigation.
Jharkhand Government Confirms ₹38 Crore Loss to State
In a formal statement, the Jharkhand government accused Choubey of causing a ₹38 crore loss to the exchequer by “indulging in fraud, colluding with criminals, and misusing his official position.” The statement also alleged that Choubey violated protocol in the selection of placement agencies responsible for liquor sales and shop management across the state.
Along with Choubey, Gajendra Singh, Joint Commissioner of the Excise Department, was also arrested and sent to jail in the same case. Singh had earlier been questioned by the ACB and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Choubey’s arrest follows extensive raids by the Enforcement Directorate in October 2024 across Ranchi and Raipur, targeting bureaucrats, liquor businessmen, and political operatives. The ED’s money laundering probe was based on a September 7 FIR by the Chhattisgarh ACB, which named Choubey along with:
Anil Tuteja, retired Chhattisgarh IAS officer
- Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar
- Arunpati Tripathi, Indian Telecom Service officer
- Several others connected to liquor syndicates in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh
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These individuals are under investigation for forming an illegal nexus to rig excise policy for personal and political gain.
Legal Defense and Medical Concerns Raised
Choubey’s lawyer, Devesh Ajmani, stated that no specific grounds for arrest were disclosed during the court proceedings. “He has medical conditions and we submitted all related medical reports before the court,” Ajmani told reporters.
Despite the defense’s argument, the ACB Special Judge Yogesh Kumar ordered judicial custody until June 3, allowing the ACB time to expand its investigation into the systemic corruption that may involve multiple state officials and private operators.
Political Fallout Expected
The arrest of such a high-ranking IAS officer is likely to fuel political heat in Jharkhand, where opposition parties have already been accusing the ruling government of shielding corrupt officials. The case also places the Hemant Soren-led administration under intense scrutiny, particularly over its excise policy framework and the role of bureaucrats in its execution.
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With both the ACB and ED intensifying their parallel investigations, more arrests and disclosures are expected. A source close to the probe hinted that financial trails, call records, and digital evidence are being analysed to map out the full extent of the scam.
