Chhattisgarh illegal liquor sale: 4th supplementary charge sheet filed

The liquor is alleged to have been sold under the protection and coordination of officials, including assistant district excise officers and deputy commissioners

Chhattisgarh’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau have filed a fourth supplementary charge sheet against 29 people in a special court in Raipur in connection with the alleged illegal sale of unaccounted and duty-evaded liquor through state-run outlets.

Distilleries were allegedly directed to manufacture surplus liquor and dispatch it directly to high-sales shops. (HT PHOTO/Representative)

The liquor is alleged to have been sold under the protection and coordination of officials, including assistant district excise officers, deputy commissioners.

In a statement on Monday, the EOW said that the fresh charge sheet was filed based on digital evidence, financial records, and over 200 witness statements gathered during an investigation following the registration of the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code between 2019 and 2023.

The EOW said distilleries were directed to manufacture surplus liquor and dispatch it directly to selected high-sales country liquor shops, bypassing the official warehouse system and evading mandatory excise duties under a coordinated plan allegedly led by a liquor syndicate.

The illicit liquor was allegedly sold parallel to legitimate stock in government-run shops and was internally referred to as “B-Part”. Revenue generated from its sales was allegedly collected separately and routed through excise officers, shop supervisors, and agents to the syndicate’s operators.

The accused officials either allegedly managed this illegal network or deliberately ignored its operation while serving as district or divisional heads. A web of accomplices, including constables, manpower supply agencies, security personnel, and money couriers, helped channel the proceeds to the syndicate.

The investigators said the illicit sale of 60,50,950 boxes of country liquor was worth ₹2,174 crore.

Serving officials, including Janardan Kaurav, Animesh Netam, Vijay Sen Sharma, and Arvind Patle, are among those named in the fourth supplementary charge sheet. Bureaucrat Anil Tuteja, businessman Anwar Dhebar, former excise commissioner Arunpati Tripathi, former minister Kawasi Lakhma, and liquor trader Vijay Bhatia were arrested in the case.

The EOW said further arrests and disclosures may follow as financial and digital trails are examined. The agency has called the case one of the most elaborate and organised corruption networks in the state’s history.