Wed May 21 01:45:53 UTC 2025: ## Jharkhand IAS Officer Arrested in Excise Scam, Accused of ₹38 Crore Loss

**Ranchi, Jharkhand – May 21, 2025** – Senior Jharkhand IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey was arrested on Tuesday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged excise scam. Choubey is accused of causing a ₹38 crore loss to the state exchequer through corrupt practices during his tenure as secretary of the excise department.

Following hours of interrogation, Choubey was produced in a special court and remanded to judicial custody until June 3, 2025. The excise department’s joint commissioner, Gajendra Singh, was also arrested and jailed in connection with the same case.

According to a statement from the Jharkhand government, Choubey misused his position and colluded with criminals, leading to the financial loss. The ACB’s investigation revealed irregularities in the selection process for placement agencies operating liquor shops.

The opposition BJP is demanding a CBI investigation, alleging that the ACB’s action is an attempt to shield more significant culprits. BJP state president Babulal Marandi claims he alerted the government to the “liquor scam” back in April 2022.

Choubey, a 1999-batch IAS officer, previously served as principal secretary to the Chief Minister Hemant Soren and was the excise secretary during the implementation of the 2022 excise policy.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously raided premises linked to both Choubey and Singh as part of their investigation into the excise scam. The ED’s case stems from a September 2024 FIR filed in Chhattisgarh, alleging that the Jharkhand liquor policy of 2022 was designed to illegally benefit syndicates. The FIR accuses Choubey and others of conspiring to amend the excise policy, awarding tenders to syndicate members, and selling unaccounted liquor, causing significant financial losses to the state.

Choubey’s lawyer, Devesh Ajmani, stated that he was unaware of the grounds for the arrest and had submitted medical reports to the court, citing Choubey’s existing medical conditions. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming weeks.

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