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Chhattisgarh bizman arrested in liquor fraud case: ACB
“Our team has arrested Naveen Kedia, a resident of Durg, Chhattisgarh. He is one of the main accused in the liquor scam case. Kedia was arrested in Goa. The agency is now preparing to bring him to Ranchi (Jharkhand) on transit remand. After bringing him to Ranchi, the ACB will produce him before the court and seek his remand for questioning,” an ACB official said.
Jharkhand’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a Chhattisgarh-based businessman from Goa in a liquor fraud case linked to senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey, presently lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail, people aware of the development stated on Thursday.
“Our team has arrested Naveen Kedia, a resident of Durg, Chhattisgarh. He is one of the main accused in the liquor fraud case. Kedia was arrested in Goa. The agency is now preparing to bring him to Ranchi (Jharkhand) on transit remand. After bringing him to Ranchi, the ACB will produce him before the court and seek his remand for questioning,” an ACB official said.
The official added that Kedia had been absconding since his bail application was rejected.
“ACB had summoned Kedia for questioning. He did not appear. After he was named as an accused in the liquor scam case, he moved the ACB court for anticipatory bail. His bail petition was rejected, following which he had been absconding,” the official said.
An ACB court lawyer monitoring the case stated that Kedia is allegedly close to Choubey, and one of the traders paid a hefty commission to secure contracts in Jharkhand.
“In May 2022, Choubey was heading the excise and prohibition department when the excise policy was implemented. Liquor traders and placement agencies from Chhattisgarh were given work in Jharkhand. Kedia is one of the traders who allegedly paid hefty commissions to secure these contracts. He is also said to be a close associate of Choubey. The ACB expects to obtain further information during the interrogation,” the lawyer said.
The ACB had registered an FIR in the case on May 20, 2025. IAS Choubey was the first to be arrested in the case. He was arrested on the same day the FIR was registered. The ACB is yet to file a chargesheet in the case.
