In a significant development in the Jharkhand excise scam, the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested senior IAS officer and Excise Secretary Vinay Choubey along with Joint Commissioner of Excise Gajendra Singh. The arrests were made in connection with the alleged manipulation of the 2022 liquor policy to benefit a liquor syndicate from Chhattisgarh.

The ACB alleges that Choubey, in collusion with members of the Chhattisgarh liquor cartel, crafted a revised excise policy that led to significant financial losses for the Jharkhand government. The policy changes reportedly favored select private parties, helping them secure lucrative contracts related to liquor supply, staffing, and hologram systems in the state.

The investigation began after an FIR was registered in Raipur in 2024, based on a complaint by Ranchi resident Vikas Kumar. The FIR named seven individuals, including Choubey and another businessman Anil Tuteja, under IPC sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also conducted multiple raids and recovered documents indicating possible money laundering.

Following this, the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) sought sanction from the Jharkhand government to prosecute Choubey and Singh. After receiving legal counsel, the ACB proceeded with their arrest — detaining Choubey from his residence and summoning Singh for questioning, after which both were formally arrested.

This case marks one of the most high-profile corruption crackdowns in recent months, highlighting alleged inter-state collusion to exploit excise policy loopholes for personal and political gain. Investigations are ongoing.