Jharkhand’s senior IAS officer and current principal secretary of Panchayati Raj Department Vinay Kumar Choubey was arrested on Tuesday by the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with the high-profile liquor scam.
The arrest followed a day-long interrogation at the ACB office in Ranchi, marking a dramatic turn in a case that has lingered in the background of state politics and bureaucracy for over two years.
The ACB team arrived at Choubey’s residence early in the morning and escorted him to the bureau’s office. Sources confirmed that medical personnel were summoned to the ACB headquarters later in the day — a clear indicator of impending custodial action. Around 4:30 pm, Choubey was taken to court, officially confirming his arrest. Former Joint Commissioner of Excise, Gajendra Singh, was also called in for questioning the same day.
Vinay Kumar Choubey was once a powerful figure in Jharkhand’s administrative circles. As a close aide of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, he held critical departments such as Urban Development and Excise, and played a key role in infrastructure projects like ministerial housing under the Smart City scheme and flyovers in Ranchi. His fall began when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned him to Raipur in connection with the liquor scam unearthed in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Following that, Choubey was gradually stripped of key responsibilities and distanced from the Chief Minister’s Office.
The case dates back to March 2022 when Choubey, then the Excise Secretary, spearheaded the adoption of a new liquor policy in Jharkhand modeled after Chhattisgarh. The earlier excise policy was dismissed as a revenue failure, and the new plan was projected as a more efficient alternative. Meetings were reportedly held in Raipur during this period, and soon after the policy’s implementation, a syndicate operating out of Chhattisgarh became active in Jharkhand. This resulted in the circulation of counterfeit holograms and a surge in illicit liquor, severely impacting the state’s revenue.
The ED had previously questioned both Choubey and Gajendra Singh in Raipur and conducted raids at their residences in Ranchi. The complaint that triggered the investigation in Jharkhand was filed by Vikas Singh, a resident of Argora, Ranchi. Investigations point to a multi-state liquor syndicate that allegedly siphoned off nearly ₹2,000 crore through coordinated efforts between officials and private operators.
While the Economic Offences Wing of Chhattisgarh has been investigating the broader scam, the ACB’s move signals a more aggressive posture by Jharkhand authorities. With several businessmen and officials already behind bars in the Chhattisgarh leg of the case, Choubey’s arrest could open the door to deeper scrutiny of administrative complicity in Jharkhand.
The coming days are likely to be crucial as legal proceedings unfold and the state government comes under pressure to act decisively.