Ias officers sent to judicial custody in jharkhand liquor scam; marandi renews call for cbi probe - the statesman

Senior suspended IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey and former Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh, both arrested in connection with the Jharkhand liquor scam, were remanded to judicial custody

on Saturday following the expiry of their Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) remand. The two were produced before the Special ACB Court, which directed their transfer to Birsa Munda Central Jail.

The ACB had earlier secured a two-day remand for Choubey. However, due to his reported ill health, only one day of questioning could be conducted. During the interrogation, he allegedly

evaded key questions, citing his medical condition. Investigators sought clarity on the selection of placement agencies, procedural lapses in verifying bank guarantees, and his role as

Excise Secretary. Choubey is understood to have denied any direct involvement in the alleged irregularities. Advertisement Gajendra Singh, who also served as Joint Excise Commissioner, was

interrogated for two days. He reportedly distanced himself from contractual decisions, claiming that the operations of the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited (JSBCL) were outside

his administrative purview. According to sources, Singh told the agency that he had no substantive link to the financial and operational matters currently under scrutiny. Advertisement

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi intensified his criticism of the government’s handling of the matter, questioning the independence of the investigation and renewing his

demand for a CBI probe. In a series of pointed social media posts, the senior BJP leader posed eight specific questions to Choubey, including queries about a purported letter to the Chief

Minister prior to the emergence of the Chhattisgarh-linked liquor scandal, and the alleged role of the Chief Minister’s Office in awarding contracts to firms such as Martian Securities and

*mVision Hospitality. Marandi also pointed to a visit by a high-level team from Jharkhand to Chhattisgarh to study its liquor distribution model. The team, he claimed, returned within 24

hours — even on a public holiday — with a recommendation. Alleging procedural compromise and premeditated intent, he stated: “If the ACB truly intends to uncover the full contours of this

scam, it must examine the conduct, mandate, and affiliations of the Raipur-bound committee.” Reiterating his long-standing demand, Marandi urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to recommend a

CBI investigation, arguing that only an agency insulated from the state’s executive could ensure impartiality. He questioned the ability of the ACB, which operates under the state government

— to independently scrutinize senior bureaucrats and political figures. Advertisement